


the queens

by gendrys



Category: Mamamoo
Genre: F/F, Lowercase, M/M, TW: Blood, Wheesa - Freeform, joseon era, kpop, mamamoo - Freeform, moonsun, this is way better than the other one i promise, tw: death, well wheesa in just a few chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:21:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 78,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21654436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gendrys/pseuds/gendrys
Summary: during the japanese invasion of korea in the 1500's, the heir of the kingdom, kim yongsun, finds herself forced into a marriage to unite the two most powerful houses in korea in order to win the war. little does she know that the real battle will be fought against her developing feelings for the only daughter and heir to the moon house, moon byulyi.
Relationships: Kim Yongsun | Solar/Moon Byulyi | Moonbyul
Comments: 114
Kudos: 346





	1. the princess

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  


the cold breeze of nighttime blew through the trees, moving their already falling leaves and shaking the branches slightly. the garden was large, as if built on top of a mountain. it was said that their ancestors had built such an enormous forest to oversee their kingdom from the top, to watch over it as every monarch in the past dynasties had. 

kim yongsun sat on a bench underneath the shaking tree. the night was starting to get cold, but she did not care. she had managed to run away from her chasing handmaidens before dusk. as soon as they finished helping her get dressed in her salmon and light blue hanbok and white slippers, she had disappeared from her room, using the old window trick. 

the guards and handmaidens were unfazed. they were used to such behavior from the king’s only child. the princess had tried to run away repeatedly in the past, only to get caught every single time. as punishment, she would be locked inside her room. this did not work, however, since the young woman always found a way to escape her confinments again and again. 

eventually, her father surrendered and only ordered for extra surveillance at the palace walls. this had frustrated the princess’s plans to say the least, but it never meant that she stopped trying. 

that night, surrounded by the safety of the trees and flowers planted by her mother a long time ago, she was scheming another escape plan. there had been discussions on her marriage. she’d heard, she was sure. 

she was not allowed to join some of her father’s council meetings, especially not that particular one. but yongsun, mischievous as ever, had eavesdropped from the nearest window. 

_ “the moons are a good house. a big house. a powerful house. the number one prospect among the rest in korea. your daughter marrying their heir would secure the kim power in the capital and in the country.”  _

_ “what do the moons have that the rest don’t?”  _

_ “gold. plenty of gold. land. an army.”  _

_ “we have gold too, maester. we rule over many lands and we also have an army.”  _

_ “not quite enough for the japanese threats that the chief commander in busan has been reporting, your grace.”  _

_ “the moon heir is also an army general,” another member of the council intervened. “that and their big army would be a great addition to our house. they have been fighting the wild barbarians from the north as well and have kept them at bay. they’re strong.”  _

_ “it’s a fine arrangement to ensure the continuation of the great kim dynasty in this country, your grace.”  _

_ the king seemed to consider it. outside, yongsun hoped for the best from her father as she internally panicked and tried hard not to jump inside the room and cuss all of the members out for merely suggesting selling her off for more gold and men. at last, her father spoke.  _

_ “very well. we will host the moons and make arrangements. if my daughter likes their heir, that is.”  _

the conversation repeated itself over and over inside the princess’s head. her short blonde hair moved with the wind. she tried to keep it in place but failed miserable, opting to just let it go wherever it went. 

“i can’t even control my stupid hair.” the princess thought, frustrated. 

_ “if my daughter likes their heir, that is.”  _

_ i won’t like him. i know i won’t.  _ she thought miserably as the stars became visible in the dark sky. the mere idea of having to marry a man she had never met in her life before made her want to jump off the nearest cliff. matter of fact, there was one not too far away from the palace. she pondered. decided against, in the end. 

it would be better to try to escape again. her dress was not adequate to try the action, but she did not have time to go back and change, especially if her handmaidens were still waiting for her return in her chambers. 

the moon family was going to arrive that night. her father had told her so. she feigned ignorance at his secret plan and agreed to wear her best gown for the meeting. instead, dirt had already been smeared on her shoes and hem of her hanbok. she smirked triumphally, thinking she’d at least win once during the night. 

the gates were opened in the distance and cheers reached her ears. she knew their guests had arrived already. if she was going to do something about it, she had to do it quick. 

it wasn’t usual for her to curse the enormity of the palace’s garden. on the contrary, since she was a child in her mother’s arms, her love for the forest-like place had only grown stronger. that night, however, she hated it. 

yongsun made her way into the deepest parts of the gardens where the tall trees would hide her frame. branches hit her on the face and tore parts of her hanbok apart. some places were muddy and she slipped on a root, falling face-first on the hard ground. she was sure she had swallowed some dirt. 

“some gardener is getting fired.” she mumbled as she persisted. from afar, the sound of commotion reached her ears and she knew they were looking for her. walking faster and trying to avoid the obstacles, the princess was finally able to discern the short wall from afar. 

a chair was usually brought along for the purpose of climbing, or a small bench. this time, however, she would have to jump as high as she could. 

she got ready, taking off her ruined slippers and securing her skirts at knee-height. “i can do this. i can do this.” she whispered to herself, jumping up and down as her mind and body got ready for the task. 

at last, she ran out of the woods at full speed. there was nobody around, all the guards must have been looking for her in the gardens or welcoming the moons. there were no servants, no no cooks, no fools. they were all inside, entertaining the newly arrived family. 

the feeling of victory rose in her chest. she was going to be free. she was not going to be married off to a stranger and forced to reign beside him. her opportunity was just a few feet away. 

the wall was right there. she ran faster, pushed herself up with all her strength and jumped as high as she possibly could.

her face was met with the stone-made wall, just like the rest of her limbs. her body immediately stumbled backwards and fell miserably on the ground for the second time that night. she saw black for a moment, eyes having a hard time to focus back on the starry night above. 

“ow.” was the only thing she was able to mumble, lying defeated. betrayed by her own walls. “ow.” 

“i’m curious to know what you were attempting to do.” 

a voice came. it was near. very near. she panicked. it didn’t sound like her father most certainly. it didn’t sound like a guard either. it was odd, but chances could still not be taken. 

dizzy, yongsun jumped back to her feet and tightly grasped a stick that laid nearby, as if to fend for herself in case this stranger attempted to drag her inside by force.

“are you serious?” the person said. they walked to the wall and rested their backs against it, taking their sword out of its scabbard. the blade shone in the moonlight as the stranger moved it from side to side. “as you wish.” 

“who are you?” kim yongsun demanded. 

“i could ask you the same question.” 

“oh. i’m sure you would love to know who you are pointing that sword to.” 

“and i’m sure the king would love to hear that a peasant is going about his castle crashing against walls and running half naked in his garden.” 

yong remembered the state of her skirts, blushing deeply. she was sure that she looked like a mess and this stranger was not doing anything to make her feel any better. in anger, she moved forward and poked them with her stick. 

“what-

they didn’t have time to complete the phrase and yongsun threw herself on top of them, making them lose their balance and falling on the ground. the sword came loose and yongsun made sure to kick it way from their grasp. she hit them with her stick. one, twice, thrice. 

the wooden thing was doing nothing to the stranger, she was sure, so she threw it away and started beating them with her fists. she met chainmail and some and steel, however, so her hands retreated back as they pulsed, injured. 

the stranger took this opportunity and flipped them around, jumping to their feet. but before they could take their sword back, yongsun took action and grabbed it. 

“hey. girl. calm down. i was joking.” the person said, throwing their hands in the air, yielding. 

“i’m sure you were.” yong replied, swaying the sword right and left. 

“do you even know how to use that thing?” 

no matter what they said, they were still moving backwards, away from yongsun and her almighty weapon. she did not know how to use it, that was true, but they were still backing off and that was all that mattered to her. 

“girl. let’s just talk-” their words were interrupted as they stumbled back and fell. the light of one of the torches finally fell on the stranger’s features and yongsun stopped her attack. 

the person was wearing chainmail and steel, indeed. they were too beautiful to be the armor of a simple guard though. a silver cape was hanging from their shoulders and on their chest, the engraved emblem of a red moon. their eyes were as dark as chocolate and their hair as dark as the sky above them, as long as hers. 

_ a woman _ , she realized. 

“are you a member of the moon’s guard?” 

“what? no.” the woman finally lowered her hands as yongsun did the same with the sword. noticing, the person smirked in victory. “i’m lady byulyi of the moon house. i’m here to be wed to a beautiful and delicate princess. or so my father says. they couldn’t find her so i came here to look for her.” 

yongsun dropped the sword. the clang round loudly and the closest guards were alerted. byulyi and yong could hear them running towards them but neither moved. 

“are you a servant of the kim house?” moon byulyi returned the question as their guardians caught up with them. the kim soldiers surrounded yongsun and bowed to her. 

“no, you idiot. i’m the delicate princess.”


	2. challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The walls have ears, my lady. I do not want to speak ill of my lady princess.” 
> 
> “You do not have to. I’m just asking a simple question that hides no menace. We will get married. I believe it is my right to know what I am getting myself into.” 

**MOON BYULYI**

  
  


Moonbyul was confused to say the least. The day her father told her about arranged engagement to the heir of the Korean kingdom, the person she had imagined the princess to be was extremely different to who she encountered. 

After wrestling with the princess and nothing less than yielding to her, her bride-to-be had been escorted back to her chambers to be dressed and prepared for the welcome feast her king father prepared for their guests at the capital of their country. 

The brown-haired woman was left behind, aghast at what had just transcended between her and her future wife. Still a bit dizzy from the fight, Byulyi was taken to the room where she would be staying until the wedding day. The king had been more than generous with the place he provided to her. 

Her bedchamber was gigantic. It was almost as big as the forest she had just been in. With so many inside rooms, it almost seemed like a house inside a palace. The floor was covered in a red and gold carpet that extended all throughout the room. The windows were large and adorned with curtains of the same color. There were bookcases that were full, completing the set with cushions that looked comfortable enough even from afar.

The bed was in the center of the main room. It was a thin featherbed with blankets the same color as the carpet. Even the wooden ceiling had dragon illustrations, the emblem of House Kim. Moon Byulyi thought it odd that the princess had not been wearing the sigil of her own family name. 

Remembering her made Byul sigh in exhaustion. She had made such a long trip only to get beaten up by the Kim heir. She collapsed on the bed, relishing the softness under her sore muscles. Her chainmail was heavy enough though, and Byulyi soon felt the need to call for her servants so they could help her get changed. 

“Do you care for a bath, my lady?” One of her handmaidens asked. She was one of Byul’s favorites. Tall, with long and shiny black hair that descended down her back gracefully. Her kind features, red lips and warm eyes completed her beauty, and Moonbyul was quick to reply to her. 

“That is exactly what I need right now. You are very kind.” 

“ _ I wish I was marrying her instead of the crazy woman out here _ .” Byulyi thought miserably as the servant bowed and left.

A bathtub was provided by some Kim servants and it was filled with warm water right out of the kitchen’s fire. Two Kim concubines stayed behind to aid Byulyi with her bath. Her awkwardness as they unlaced her armor and breeches underneath quickly dissipated as she noticed how the women around were blushing more than she was. 

With regained confidence, the woman-warrior jumped into the tub and splashed water all over the carpet. Her servants laughed with her while the Kim ones stared at the mess, horrified. 

Byulyi finally allowed herself to relax in the steamy water. Her handmaidens massaged her calves and shoulders and the heir sighed again, this time in contentment. The bruises from her fight were starting to show, growing purple and green. Every time she moved a new one appeared. Deciding that it was enough, she remained still and sat back.

After a while, she opened her eyes and directed her attention to the Kim concubines who were busy trying to dry the wet carpet around. Byul examined them carefully and spoke. 

“Are you the princess’s servants?” 

The pair froze in place after being addressed. They appeared to be new, still not used to speaking to highborns and afraid of saying the wrong thing. If anything they still looked quite young, the heir noticed, no older than fifteen. This brought a sense of guilt to Byul for the mayhem she had caused with the water. Sitting straight, her voice was heard again, this time in a softer tone. 

“Do you work for the princess?” 

“Sometimes.” One of them ventured shyly. She not dared meet Byulyi’s eyes. “She usually has many servants. Not many last around her.” 

“Does she execute them?” 

Byul’s companions laughed. Horrified, the other girl spoke up. “No. Not at all, my lady.” 

“What happens to them then?” 

“I shouldn’t-” The shortest of the two hesitated.

“Your secrets are safe with me,” Byulyi reassured her. It was almost time for the feast, if she were to show up late it would be seen as a disrespectful action towards the hosts who were sharing their meat and bread with them as a welcoming gesture. 

The brown-haired woman stood and her companions covered her in soft blankets at once, drying her off. As she stepped out of the tub with great care, Byulyi continued to push the girls. “Your secrets are safe with me,” She assured them.

“The walls have ears, my lady. I do not want to speak ill of my lady princess.” 

“You do not have to. I’m just asking a simple question that hides no menace. We will get married. I believe it is my right to know what I am getting myself into.” 

Her servants started to dress her. She chose a pair of dark-blue breeches with white lace embroided at the hem, the sokgui was a simple creamy color with big sleeves that engulfed her skinny arms and the pair of kkotsins were black. The jeogori was the fancy piece of clothing that completed her regal look. With the blue and white colors of her house and moons designs sewn all over the silky garment, Byulyi was the perfect image of an heir. 

Her hair was combed into a bun and later, she placed the black gat on her head and secured it. The young girls looked in awe at the transformation but still refused to say a word. However, the shortest most daring one moved to a desk and got a piece of paper. Byul eyed her as she scribbled something down on the parchment. When she was done, she handed it over to the highborn. 

_ She doesn’t want to marry anyone _ . The note said.

“So? Do you think she’ll plot to murder me or something?” 

Their short hesitation made Moon Byulyi feel uneasy. A breath of relief that she didn’t know she was holding was released when another note was delivered to her. 

_ No. But she might try to physically fight you. _

This made Byul scoff. “She already did that. I don’t think she can surprise me more than that.” 

_ Watch out in the kitchen. She might try to throw something at you. _

“I’ve fought in battle. I think I can dodge one or two apples.” 

_ The last guy was as confident as you were.  _

“Listen,” Byulyi said, a tad annoyed by then. The feast had already started and her father was going to throw her out the highest tower if she was late. “I’m not stupid, I’m not a man. I know what I’m doing. I can handle Kim Yongsun. Don’t worry.” 

Writing. Writing.

_ Be careful. _

Groaning, Byulyi put up her kindest smile and thanked them. The note was swiftly burned with a candle nearby and the heir left alongside her handmaidens. The short conversation replayed in Byulyi’s mind as they made their way through the broad and richly-decorated hallways. With guards positioned everywhere she looked, she momentarily wondered if she had made a huge mistake by following her father’s orders of marrying someone she had never even met. 

In that sense, she understood the princess’s defensiveness at the whole idea of an arranged marriage. She didn’t blame her. The same thoughts ran through her mind when she found out, but her sense of responsibility and cockiness won. The challenge of enchanting a beautiful princess had presented itself and she had been unable to reject such an offer. 

Except Kim Yongsun was no regular obedient and submissive princess out of a legendary tale. It was the complete opposite. Still, Byulyi persevered as she reached the big doors to the great hall where the noise and music from the feast were already booming loudly. 

Taking a deep breath as if she were about to enter a battle, the doors opened. Kim Yongsun was right in the center of the table with an empty seat by her side, reserved for Byulyi. Yongsun’s eyes grew bigger at the sight of her fiancee and her jaw tensed. Byulyi noticed, the small feeling of fear being overpowered by defiance.

She still did not know why but the excitement of teasing the older girl was too tempting to bear. Smirking arrogantly at the scolding princess, Byulyi stepped into the great hall and the doors were shut behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for your kind comments! <3 i'm really enjoying this story since this is my favorite au to write. thank u for enjoying it as much as i am.


	3. confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The response came quick. There was no time in prolonging her affliction. “Father. I don’t believe I like princes anymore.” 

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  


Princess Yongsun was an only child. A motherless only child who had grown up in the biggest palace in the whole kingdom, surrounded by enough servants and guards to populate an entire village. Ever since she was little, Yongsun knew what her destiny would turn out to be in the distant future. 

She did not mind a first. The innocent daydreams of a little girl whose mind would fill with legends and tales of brave knights and princes rescuing and marrying the beautiful princess. At such a small age, Yong had wanted nothing but for those dreams to come true. However, as she grew older, the idea of a gallant prince coming to wed her after a glimpse of her beauty turned strange, as if she never dreamed of such things in the first place. 

At age twelve, the princess met a girl, the daughter of one of the cooks who’d come along with her father to learn the skill. Her name was Nari and it was the first time Yongsun felt odd around someone. She had been raised to not show fear nor nervousness in front of anyone, not even the lesser servants, but the shiny green eyes of Nari would spark under the light of the fire of the kitchen and her shy smile whenever Yongsun gifted her an apple sent Yong rushing up the stairs and into her chambers. 

A year later, Nari realized. The gifts from the princess became more frequent and her time in the kitchens bothered her tutors, after she would show up late for her daily lessons. One day, before leaving with her father who was loading the carts outside, Nari thanked Yongsun with a small peck on the corner of her mouth. Nari’s touch disappeared quick and she ran outside after her dad’s calls. The green-eyed girl waved Yongsun goodbye and left. 

That night, during dinner which usually consisted of her king father and herself sitting at opposite ends of a large table surrounded by stewards and squires, Yongsun gathered the courage to speak to her father. 

“Father.” She was shy at first and her voice nothing more than a squeak. A servant approached her thinking she needed her glass filled again, but she gently waved him away. With more defiance in her voice, she spoke again. “ _ Father _ .” 

This seemed to finally get the attention of the king, who seemed busy in inspecting a goblet decorated with jewels. The newest gift from their Chinese allies. “Was is it, child?” 

The response came quick. There was no time in prolonging her affliction. “Father. I don’t believe I like princes anymore.” 

Her father’s attention went back to the gift. “Of course you don’t, child. I don’t think you have ever met one.” 

“I have so.” 

“Have you?” 

“You brought Prince Bwon-Hwa once to dinner. A few years ago.” 

“Prince Bown can barely count as a prince, daughter. That old drunk.” The king shook his head. The goblet was finally discarded and a squire filled it with wine at once. Chewing a slice of well-cooked pork, he spoke. “What is the meaning of this conversation, Yongsun? Have you been bored lately? Your tutors tell me you are not going to lectures lately.” 

This made Yongsun blush and she didn’t answer. Instead, she brought a glass to her lips and gulped profusely. The obvious nervous reaction made the king laugh at the silliness of his only child. Taking mercy on the princess, her father tenderly asked. “What’s wrong, Yongsun? Have you felt ill? Would you like a puppy?” 

That she did. But it was not the right time to agree to such a tempting offer. 

“Father, I believe I like girls.”

The hall was already silent, but it wasn’t until the words left her lips that she felt the heavy atmosphere around her. The people around her did not dare move and one of her legs was shaking. It accidentally hit the table and her glass tipped over, spilling the juice inside on the floor. A steward rushed to clean everything but Yong could barely register what was happening. 

The king finished his meal. His plate was taken away. He leaned back comfortably, wine in hand, studying her daughter for what felt like an eternity to the young princess. Finally, a sound emerged. Another laugh, a longer one this time. Yongsun went from frightened, to brave, to frightened again, to confused. 

“What’s so funny?” She asked, raising her voice to be able to be heard over the king’s loud holler. 

He was able to calm down at last, gesturing to one of the squires to bring more wine. “Was that tormenting you, child? What has your septa been putting in your head all these years? Has she never told you about wedded queens in the eastern islands?” 

She had not, in fact. Now Yongsun just felt stupid. Stupid and ignorant at the whole ordeal. Mayhaps it may not be so common for people like her to exist within the kingdom, but the thought of it being a possibility in other lands was incredibly reassuring for her. The surprise on her features was evident though, something that made the king let out another giggle.

“‘Tis fine, child. None of the sons of other kingdoms is handsome enough anyway. It will be easier for me to wed you to a beautiful daughter instead.” 

And so then her joy had transformed to sorrow. Whether she liked girls or boys eventually did nothing to change her destiny at all. She was still meant to be married off to a stranger for political reasons and it was most certainly not going to be to Nari. 

_ I don’t want to marry another princess. I want to marry Nari. _

It did not matter how much she’d tried to hide her feelings for the other girl from then on, it was a matter of time until one chatter from the servants reached more and more ears. One morning, Nari was gone. The cook was still there but not Nari. 

That night, her king father found her weeping in her room. She’d not been to dinner and had not been eating since the news was received. As kindly as possible, the king approached and put a reassuring hand on a tense shoulder. “I’m sorry, child. If you wish to marry a woman, you shall. But a woman of royal blood, not a lowborn. We must preserve our power and our kingdom.” 

That night, she looked at her father with the same expression of despise she was currently giving princess Moon Byulyi.

As soon as the doors opened, she could see that smug smile of her, the first thing she saw when they met. It had been nothing romantic at all. Even after Nari’s departure, Yongsun had still dared to dream of a beautiful girl who would elegantly sweep her off her feet and enchant her with a soft smile and tender words.

Instead, her wife to be tried to fight her and mocked her on the spot, both covered in dirt and dust. Byulyi strutted into the great hall after her name was announced by one of the guards.

_ Her royal highness, Lady Byulyi of House Moon. _

Out of her armour, Byulyi looked more decent. Even a tad pretty, if Yongsun were being honest. Choosing to garb herself in male attire instead, Moon Byulyi was wearing a traditional hanbok with a large gat on her head. 

Instead, Yongsun had chosen a simpler garment. A large dark red chima hung from her waist, circled by a golden-colored lace that made the combination of colors stand out. Her jeogori was a lighter shade of red with a black dragon embroidered on the top right. Underneath, she wore a simple white undergarment that was visible, much to her handmaidens dismay. She decided to let her show hair down. It reached the mid of her nape and its spotless, almost golden-like color, showed that it had been evidently washed after the encounter with Byulyi in the gardens.

Princess Moon took her place in the empty seat right next to Yongun. They were sat on the king’s right while Byulyi’s father and the captain of his personal guard were sat on his left. A plate of food and a jar of fine wine was immediately presented to Byul, much to her enjoyment. After what had transcended during that night, she was most definitely the most hungry person in the entire hall.

The table was full of roasted boar and salted beef. Jugs of beer seemed endless and they empty cups were swiftly replaced with new full ones. The smell of roasted lamb and ribs reached Byulyi’s nose as she happily munched on the spiced mutton. Far away, berries, peaches and lemons were visible along with the desserts, which consisted of a variety of cakes, honeycomb and jellies.

Yongsun side-eyed her as she ate her food. The music was being played loudly and there were some lords that were already quite intoxicated on ale. They were dancing and speaking loudly, trying their best to boast about their achievements and treasures. The king was no different. Her own father and Byulyi’s seemed to be getting along, much to her disappointment. 

The youngest woman finished her plate and slumped back on her chair, turning to Yongsun with that stupid smirk still plastered on her face. 

“Care for a dance, my lady?” 

“Care to shut up, my lady?” Yong replied, taking a sip of wine to help her get through an evening with dumb Moon Byulyi next to her trying to captivate her. 

Byul laughed. Reaching out, she was able to take an orange and started to peel it. “Care for an orange then?” She asked once it was ready to be served. 

Yongsun rolled her eyes. She took the orange, put it on the plate and drove a chopstick into it so hard that she almost broke it. The poor fruit rolled from one side to the other, spilling juice all over the empty dish. 

“You’re strong. That’s very attractive.” 

_ Insufferable.  _

“I just imagined it was your head instead.” 

The music and shouting drowned the stupid snort that Byulyi gave out. If Yongsun were being honest however, she thought she could detect a tiny bit of fear in it.  _ Good _ , she thought.

“You are funny as well. That’s even more attractive.” 

_ Intolerable.  _

“Now, you better listen to me or else I’ll-

The threatening speech was interrupted by the voice of a man. It wasn’t her father most definitely, but the one sitting by his side. Lord Moon was tall and still young in appearance, although his voice was hoarse and he had difficulty making himself be heard over the roaring noise of the feast. He was a skinny man, perhaps as skinny as his daughter, and Byulyi had inherited his nose features as well as his eye color. The hair on his head was grey and it was just a matter of a few years before it turned white. 

“My lords and ladies. My House and I thank you wholeheartedly for welcoming us into your home. We are also deeply thankful to the king and the princess for accepting our proposal in marriage. My daughter, Moon Byulyi.” The girl rose, both hands on the table, leaning forwards. 

Yongsun took the chance to study her more closely. Her jaw was sharp, her lips thin and her eyes light brown, almost like honey. The youngest’s hair was a bit longer and reached her shoulders, as straight as hers. Most of her body was fully covered, but the sleeves of her jeogori had rolled up to her forearm and she could discern some muscles and veins despite the slender appearance. 

Every time she smiled, her nose scrunched up in an almost adorable way. Yongsun shook her head. No. Moon Byulyi was not adorable. She was smug and annoying. Nothing more, nothing less. 

“She was raised under the best lecturers in our region. Very skilled in strategy, fighting and, curious enough, music.” 

This got Yongsun’s attention. 

“My daughter has fought in the battlefield alongside our large forces. Forces that we hope will be increased in number when allied with the army of his majesty. I have no doubt that together, our houses will prevail in victory and power above any threat or danger. To our Korean Kingdom.” 

“Korean Kingdom.” Men and women alike shouted in unison as cups were lifted in the air. The man sat down and so did Byulyi, as the performers started playing their instruments again, fools running around the place, juggling grapes and throwing oats at each other. 

Yong sighed. Another night of waste and pretension, surrounded by people who only cared for her title and nothing more. Her cup was empty but she did not feel like drinking any more. The feast was far from over and this made her feel hopeless.

She turned to Byulyi who seemed lost in thought as well. The pride had disappeared and instead, for just a tiny moment, Yongsun thought she was able to detect a hint of sadness. It disappeared as soon as it came but it was enough to know that she was feeling lonely despite her popularity among the highborns. 

Byul looked at her and the smile was back again. Yongsun wanted to curse herself for having been caught in such a vulnerable situation. Now she was going to think that she thought she was pretty and was madly in love with her. 

_ Goddammit. _

A man fell near the doors and everyone laughed. A man was so close to a servant that it looked non-decent. Ale was being spilled all over the tablecloth and the king was only encouraging it all by throwing the orange on Yongsun’s plate and hitting a fool with it. The hall roared in laughter and another man fell off his seat. 

“Would you like to go outside, my lady?” Byulyi asked. 

Yong felt the question more than she heard it with all the commotion around. Pushing her chair back with great force, she took Byulyi by the arm and dragged her out her seat, almost making her stumble. 

“Let’s go.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i want to make this as slow burn as i can because i love writing it but i want moonsun together already so bad that it's hard. ugh. but i will try, for the sake of this fic. thank you so much for reading too! the kudos and comments keep on inspiring me and i love writing this story.


	4. forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe she could fall in love with Moonbyul after all.
> 
> “That made your insides tingle, didn’t it?” 

**MOON BYULYI**

  
  
  


It was a chilly night. Moonbyul was starting to think that mayhaps Yongsun was as scary as people made her out to be, probably having some witchcraft-like powers and was about to make it snow in the middle of summer. Or perhaps, after so many years, Byulyi genuinely was nervous in the presence of a pretty woman.

Oh, the princess was indeed pretty. Byulyi was not blind and she was sure the rest of her entourage thought the same. Her men, her father’s men, even the concubines turned their heads and followed the lightly perceptible curves of Yongsun as they headed outside. Or as she was dragged by force and staggered twice or thrice, more specifically. 

She took a mental note to double her men’s training the following day, right next to adding three more hours to the agenda. She was not jealous. Why would she be jealous? She barely knew her bride-to-be and in all honesty, she scared her more than anything. 

Not that she would admit it out loud. Byul still had a part to play and a princess to charm. A challenge she had decided to take upon herself even if it ended up costing her a hand or a head. There were no limits when it came to her seductive nature. 

“It’s always a great pleasure to be in the presence of such a beauty as yourself, my lady.” Byulyi said elegantly and the pair strolled through the same garden they became acquaintanced in. Except it wasn’t the large forest, but a decently-lit space with a rocky trail and flowers planted to the sides. There was a pond in the distance and a small bridge right on top of it which connected to smaller towers in the back, surrounded by more water. 

At the lack of response, Byulyi decided to take a different direction. “What’s back there?” A question. Maybe that would encourage the princess to mumble a few words.

“That is none of your concern.” 

There it was. It was not exactly the response the youngest was looking for, but the mere sound of words addressed at her made her gain confidence. Smirking, she pushed. “If I am to live in your palace then I would like to know what lies hidden inside the castle walls.” 

“Who says you are going to be living here?” It was Yongsun’s time to ask questions. This time in an indignant tone and a scoff.

Byul shrugged feeling quite accomplished. “His grace. Your father. Our engagement.” 

“I am not marrying you, Moonbyul.” Another scoff, this one more livid than the previous one.

“Does that not go against everything that was just said at the feast?” 

“I do not care for what my father or yours have to say.” 

“Not following your father’s commands sounds like treason.” 

“You know nothing about our laws.” 

“Yes, I do.” Byulyi was truly enjoying this. With a chuckle, she hopped onto a bench that was on Yongsun’s left as the princess sped up her pace to get away from her. With a small jump, Byul got in her way, making the princess bump into her.

Yong went stumbling back a few steps and almost fell. A strong hand caught her wrist as another slipped across her back. In the blink of an eye, Yongsun was in Byulyi’s arms as the brown-haired woman supported her weight. Their faces drew closer and Yong felt the other woman’s words against her skin. 

“My apologies, my lady. I did not mean to scare you.” 

They stayed like that for a little moment. Yongsun wanted to push her back and call for her guards but something made her hesitate. The light in Moonbyul’s eyes, that same almost familiar shine she had seen during the feast, made her stay still. She could not move and she did not want to move. Even if they were only a few seconds, Yongsun felt like she was lost in those honey-like eyes for an eternity. 

Maybe their engagement wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps marriage was not a bad idea after all. A mere gleam in someone’s eyes had not made her feel the things she was feeling inside since Nari and Yongsun was as confused as she was at peace in that very moment. 

Maybe she could fall in love with Moonbyul after all.

“That made your insides tingle, didn’t it?” 

Byulyi spoke. 

The sound made Yongsun fall off the imaginary clouds she had been floating in and collide with the hard and cold floor they were standing on. The suggestion of love along with the momentary captivation flew away with the wind like smoke. She would have her tongue removed by the morrow. She swore it in the name of her mother’s old gods. 

“My lady-

“Let me go!” Yongsun screamed, tossing and turning in Byulyi’s arms. She made sure to elbow the youngest in the ribs and hit her on the chin, just to alleviate some of the stress she’d been through lately. 

Despite all her trashing, Moonbyul clung onto her like her life depended on it, albeit losing her balance and wobbling around. “Stop that! I’ll let you go but if you don’t stop moving we will both fall.” 

The princess didn’t care. She was tired of following orders. She was tired of people telling her what to do, even if it was for  _ her own sake _ , like they always loved to put it. Her entire life had been used to control her every movement, the grips of her regal status clutching at her as hard as Byulyi’s hands, not wanting to let go of her as much as she tried.

It was exasperating. It was frustrating. This night, her entire life had been nothing but restrained by others. Her power meant nothing when no decision could be taken by her own free will, the respect her people had for her meant nothing when nobody inside the palace truly valued her mind.

All she wanted was to break free from her constraints and never look back. At last, after more squirming and hitting, Byulyi’s balance failed her and the pair went crashing onto the pebbly ground. 

Byulyi fell on her back with a loud  _ oof _ . The dirk that was securely hidden on her hip clanked and it slightly dug into her flesh, provoking another groan from the woman. The fact that Yongsun landed half on top of her did not help. Byul was certain she had broken something. A rib, perhaps. The maesters back in her land would not be pleased by the news, if they were true. Year and year they had treated Moonbyul for injury after injury and she was sure they were about to either renounce to their vows to her lord father or rebel against their rule.

The two stayed right where they were, in pain, grunting and whining in protest. Byul hoped nobody heard the commotion and came looking for them. At the sight, she was sure the king would have her sent to the dungeons for either her foolish actions or for harming his daughter. Either way, she was sure it wouldn’t matter. Yong was going to execute her at dawn regardless if they were caught or not.

Because the princess surely had a torture chamber of some sort. The mere thought made the brow-haired woman feel uneasy.

It was stupid. All of it. A pair of women in their 20’s arguing like children, throwing punches and jumping on each other. Two women that were supposed to reign over an entire kingdom acting like the babies they needed to figure out how to have in the future. The entire ordeal seemed like a jest, and if someone had told Byulyi a few moons ago the situation she was going to get herself into, she would’ve laughed and asked for another joke and more ale. 

The circumstances were too much for her to bear. And what better thing to do for a woman who has lost all of her sanity than laugh? So she did. 

“What’s so funny?” Yongsun asked angrily. This didn’t stop Byul from laughing though. If anything it only increased her amusement, sending her into another fit of giggles. 

Yong had to support her weight on her already scraped elbows just so she could slightly hover over the jester-woman. They were still close, too close. Yongsun could feel Byul’s breath tickle her neck and cheeks and it brought a slight shade of redness to her features. 

Thanking the gods for the darkness of the night, Yongsun demanded an answer again. Only this time it was calmer. “I asked what’s so funny to you, lady Moonbyul?” 

Still no response. Right back to where they started, only with the roles reversed. The vibrations underneath her caused by Byulyi’s laughter tickled Yong and she couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t want to laugh. She thought about the most distasteful things in the world to avoid it. But then Byulyi moved again, laughing harder and smacking the ground with her hands and feet. There was not much that Yongsun could do from there. 

Giggles erupted from her insides and the ticklish feeling returned. Both, caused by Byulyi’s uncontrolled movements and the phantom sensation slowing building in her belly. For a moment, Yongsun decided to forget the world once again and floated back to the stars. 

They didn’t move. Even after the laughter subsided. Strangely enough for both. Byulyi was surprised her head was still attached to her body and Yongsun was as shocked as the youngest woman. No words were exchanged anymore. Instead, Yongsun decided to relieve the weight on her elbows and fell, head on Byul’s shoulder, allowing herself to relax. 

Byul could feel it. The woman on top of her sighing in comfort and her muscles loosening up little by little. Another wave of oddity invaded Moonbyul. She was not sure what to make out of all of it. She never believed that is how the night would end, truly. Her purpose was to either try and charm Yongsun and die in the process, or annoy her enough to be exiled from the Korean lands.

However, she was not about to complain at all. Byulyi had had a fair amount of girls like that. Resting on top of her, head tucked under her chin. Never like this though. Never specifically like this. Never with the sensation that was rising in her chest. 

_ What is this? _

In the middle of her confusion she failed to realize that Yong’s breathing had eased, her full body weight completely relaxed on Moonbyul. It would not have been a reason to panic if it weren’t for the male voices calling out from afar.

_ My lady?  _

_ Princess Yongsun? Is everything okay? _

So much for Byulyi living to see another day. Time for terror to settle back in. 

“Princess?” She whispered, gently shaking Yongsun’s arms. “Princess?” 

No response. 

She would look dead if it weren’t for her rising and falling chest. 

_ Well, I’m going to die _ . Byulyi thought miserably. She couldn't say it was a bad way to die, honestly. In the middle of a garden, with the stars above and a beautiful woman atop of her. If anything, it was the ideal way to perish in her head. 

She would've accepted her destiny but the voices were approaching quickly. Moonbyul wanted to move but Yongsun whined on top. 

“Princess. Wake up.” Not working. The men were near. “Yong!” 

“Huh?” Yongsun finally responded. She groaned a bit and moved her head back to be tucked on one side of Byul’s neck. A few seconds passed and then, as if it took a moment for her to process the words and the situation, she flew to support herself back on her elbows with a serious expression back on her face. “What did you just call me?” 

Taking her chance, Byulyi pushed Yongsun off of her and jumped to her feet. Before Yong could protest by punching her again, Byul reached out and pulled her up by the wrist, much like the princess had done so to her back at the feast.

“We have to go.” 

“Why?” There had been quite a lot of questions that had been asked on that night, many without a concrete reply so far. It was quite an interesting turn of events. Neither had ever found another person to be as curious as the other and the fascination fueled their movements.

Yet, at last, one inquiry had an answer. “I would like to survive tonight.” Was Moonbyul’s answer. 

Yong was confused. She had just woken up from perhaps the best minutes of slumber she had experienced since she was a baby and was now running from an invisible threat. “What-

“Shush.” 

Offended by the sudden interruption Yongsun stopped dead in her tracks, only to be pulled by Moonbyul again, yanking her forward. The princess was about to question her fiance’s motives once again when she heard the guard’s voices in the place they had just been lying on. 

If Yongsun decided to scream for the guards, they would run to them swiftly and Byulyi would be apprehended. She would be charged with kidnapping or mistreatment, surely. The princess had scratches on her arms, a bruise on her leg and, judging by how she fell asleep on top of stupid Moonbyul, a concussion. She would be sent back to her kingdom and Yongsun would not have to worry anymore about marriage. All she had to do was call for her kingsguard. 

“Come on.” Byulyi whispered, turning back to Yong for a quick moment. The deeper they walked into the forest, the more the light dimmed. Even so, the glow of the stars and the moon shone down on them and illuminated Byulyi’s eyes once again. 

_ I just have to scream and it will all be over.  _

Her mind did not seem to be connected with her body. She had no control of any movement or any action. It was all out of protocol. It was all out of plan. It was all wrong. 

“Let’s go.” Yongsun whispered back, setting herself free from Byulyi’s grasp and instead taking her by the hand, tugging lightly and running off. Byul followed, entering the same forest they met each other in, their laughter echoing in the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy new year!! here is for a 2020 full of success for our girls. this chapter felt quite odd. it was supposed to be from byul's pov but it switched from yong to byul and so on lol anyway. i had a lot of fun writing this. i will try to update more often bc i love this story.


	5. fortress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Come here and give me a hand.” 
> 
> “You’re so bossy.” Byul complained but still got on one knee and put her hands together to help Yong climb. “And heavy.” 

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  
  


The forest was submerged in such darkness that Yongsun thought it a miracle that neither her or Moonbyul got lost or smashed their faces into the thick trunk of a centuries-old tree. The glow of the moon and stars in the sky certainly helped guide their way into the small fortress in the middle of a pond, the same one Byulyi had asked her about. 

“Be careful.” The princess whispered as they approached the water. The ground was starting to become muddy and any misstep would signify a considerable slip down a small hill. No amount of lies would ever begin to cover up the absolute mess the pair had gotten themselves into. Yongsun wanted to avoid the scolding of her life by not only her father but her handmaidens and septas. She could do with a little bit of peace for a few days. 

Surprisingly, Moonbyul listened, stopping dead in her tracks to wait for her majesty. The moonlight helped her get to where she was standing now, but Yongsun guessed she decided to await for further instructions in unknown territory. 

_Smart_ , Yong thought quite stunned. None of her suitors had ever been smart. That was a nice change. 

Trying to gather her skirts as high as possible, the princess carefully made her way to Byulyi’s side as they both faced the pond. There was a bridge but it looked old and decaying. One could cross it, just maybe. It wasn’t so high above the ground but falling would certainly hurt, especially because of the rocks under the water.

Wait.

_The rocks_ , Yongsun suddenly remembered. 

“Moonbyul. There was a rock pathway in there.” She whispered again to the brown-haired woman whose gat was slightly flat after getting caught in a branch. 

“I don’t see any.” 

“They’re underwater, stupid. Come on.” 

“The water is too green, your feet will fall off if you step in it.” 

With a roll of her eyes Yogsun proceeded to take her ripped slippers off and took one cautious step in. The pond was deeper than she thought, water reaching her mid-calf. It did feel sticky but she was not about to turn around, it would only prove that Byul was right. That would only happen over her dead body. She moved forward, aiding herself with the moonlight shining down, now without any trees to conceal it in its entirety. 

“If I get sick, I'm going to kill you.” 

She heard Byulyi fumbling with her shoes and long pair of bajis. It was all completed it an, “Ew!” as she followed her into the water. 

By the time Moonbyul reached the small castle, Yongsun was already back into her slippers. She inspected the stronghold. The door had a huge lock on it and the windows were sealed with rocks and wood. Every single window except for one. 

“Come here and give me a hand.” 

“You’re so bossy.” Byul complained but still got on one knee and put her hands together to help Yong climb. “And heavy.” 

The blonde made sure to kick her because of that last comment as she did her best to balance her weight on Byulyi’s hands and grip the building’s rocks as tight as possible to avoid falling. It took time and effort, but in the end Yongsun made it inside. 

Some time passed and Byul was still standing outside. Her now dirty knuckles moved to knock on a sealed window. “How will I get inside?” 

“You’re taller. Figure it out.” 

_Insufferable._

With some time and double effort, Byulyi was able to locate a large rock near the collapsing bridge. The rock was yanked to the place where the window was waiting and she hopped on it. With ease she was able to get a grip on some of the fortress solid ends and her arms pulled her up. 

With a _thud_ she landed inside the small castle. 

“It took you long enough.” 

The place wasn’t too big. If anything it was taller than it was wide. It was nothing but a mere circle where four people would fit. There was a small staircase near the locked door, most likely to climb to the top and shoot arrows in case of an attack. The walls were musty and it smelled funny, much like the water they’d just crossed. 

There was no roof. If there was one in the past then it had either collapsed or was removed by choice. The stars were visible as they glowed on top of them. Byulyi wished she could lie down and look up to them in awe, something she decided to do in the end. Her clothes were already destroyed anyway, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t bring another set of fancy hanboks. 

“I thought this place was too dirty for you.” 

“You already had me run through the forest, drag myself through rancid water and climb an old fort. It can’t get worse than this.” 

Yongsun wanted to respond but Byulyi was kind of right. Although the running away part had been completely on the other woman and she was not about to accept that responsibility. A cold breeze blew through her short hair in that moment though, so she decided to drop the matter and relax just like her supposed fiancee. 

Now, both lying on the ground looking up at the stars, an oddly comforting silence fell between the pair. Their clothes had already dried from crossing the pond, the smell wasn’t so bad when the wind blew, bringing the scent of the garden of roses not too far away from the fortress with it. 

Time passed and Byul’s breathing had become so even that Yongsun thought she had fallen asleep. So she almost jumped when the sound of Byul’s voice echoed in their small keep. 

“Why don’t you want to get married, Yongsun?” 

The question was so sudden that Yong took a while to respond. It was odd for the princess to be speechless and it made Byul feel just a tiny bit proud of herself. 

“I don’t care for the old tradition of being sold like some farm animal.”

“You’re not the one being sold though. I am.” 

“And doesn’t that bother you in the least?” 

Moonbyul shrugged, eyes fixed on the sky still. “It’s our duty. We have our white horses, our palaces, our coin, but we also have duties to fulfill. Marriage just happens to be one of them.” 

“I sometimes wish I wasn’t a princess.” Now that Yong had started talking there wasn’t anything or anyone that would shut her up. The atmosphere turned more intimate and Yongsun knew that there was not going to be anyone around just yet. The walls weren’t listening for the first time in so long, something that brought her some inner comfort. Oddly enough, Byulyi’s company was turning out to be not as bothersome as she thought it would be. 

“That’s absurd. Any farm girl would kill to be a princess.” 

“And I would kill to be just any farm girl.” 

“You’re mad.” 

“Don’t lie to me. Don’t tell me you have never thought about it before.” 

“About what? About being poor?” 

“About being normal, Moonbyul. About being free.” 

“No.” The reply made Yongsun grow frustrated with the conversation. After so long she thought that there was someone who just might happen to comprehend her a bit. Every single last bit of hope had been thrown out the window in that very moment. “But I do understand you.” 

_Wait. What?_

“What?” Yong’s voice echoed her thoughts. Was that just another jest from Moonbyul to mock her? She didn’t know. Her mind was never sure and never at peace with the warrior since the first time they were unceremoniously introduced not too long ago. It was killing her. 

“I said I do understand you. I mean, of course I like being royalty. I’m just another lady from one of the many great Houses in Korea who just happens to have been military trained by my father.” The woman sat up with her legs crossed, facing Yongsun. The moonlight fell on her features and for a second, the princess thought she saw her shine. “I’m not that important. But you have Korea on your shoulders.” 

Yongsun wasn’t too sure how to feel. Yes, it was true, she did have the entire kingdom on her shoulders and the weight of it all could not be compared to the simple responsibilities of other vassal houses. Moonbyul got it. In the end, she truly did. Not in a mocking manner, something deep within Yongsun told her that Byulyi was speaking from the heart. 

She wanted to scream, she wanted to thank her, she wanted to keep on talking about it all night long if possible. So what she said instead really caught her by surprise. “You are important Moonbyul.” 

The woman-warrior gave a low chuckle that made Yongsun feel a tiny bit funny inside. The woman’s hands flew to toy around with the grass that grew in some spots in the otherwise empty ground. An arrowhead was found and Byulyi inspected it intently as she spoke. “My house is big, I admit it. We have many great warriors and strategists and hold a lot of land. My ancestors swore fealty to you and your family has been nothing but pleasant with us. But we are no heirs to Korea.” 

“Without your warriors my family’s reign would not have been possible.” 

“And without your family’s reign my warriors would serve no purpose.” 

“So we are equal in the end.” 

“Maybe.” Byulyi shrugged. The arrowhead was thrown aside so her full attention would lie on Yongsun. “Still not as important as your mere existence for Korea. Which is why,” A small rock was thrown at Yong’s side. “I understand why you feel such a burden with your position.”

For quick moment Yongsun felt like crying. She didn’t even mind the object being thrown at her, she’d fuss about it later. Nobody had ever spoken to her in such truth and she had never confide such things in anyone but her bodyguard and future captain of the Queensguard. 

She wanted to say something. Her mouth was able to articulate and get the words out but they were swallowed up by the ones of three men outside the small castle’s walls.

“My Lady!” They screamed, calling for her. “My Lady Yongsun!” 

They were still at the other side of the pond but it was enough to make chills run down Yongsun’s spine. The combination between the adrenaline of being caught and the true fear of her father finding out what transcended that night and her unlady-like behavior made Yong stand up in a rush. 

With a swift movement Byulyi was right in front of her, hand covering her mouth and finger signaling to keep quiet. Byul’s body-weight was warm as she pressed the princess against the sturdy stony walls. 

Yong blushed deeply for the fifth time that night. But now darkness wasn’t there to hide it, a realization that made the slight red on her neck and cheeks turn crimson. 

If Byulyi noticed, she didn’t bring it up nor mock it. Matter of fact, the blonde could’ve sworn she saw a similar shade of color in Byul’s ears when let her go and turned to check if the men were gone. 

Before she could mention it, because _oh no_ , she was not about to let that opportunity pass her by, the youngest of the two spoke. “I think they left. We should leave as well before word reaches your father that his only daughter has disappeared.” 

“He’s as drunk as your father right now, he won’t care.” 

That provoked the same low chuckle from Byulyi as before, and just like it had just happened, it made Yongsun feel like she was floating. She forced her feet to get glued to the ground this time though. Her mind was not going to allow her heart turn dumb in such a moment. 

“Oh, but mine will. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to get grounded at 21 years old.” 

And with that, Moonbyul jumped as high as Yong had never seen anyone do so before, grabbing onto the open window and pulling herself up. As skinny as she looked, she was strong. Stronger than some of her men, Yongsun would dare to bet. 

The brown-haired woman handsomely sat on the empty window, feet dangling on each side of it, one out and one in. “Let’s go. I’m nice, I won’t leave you in here to climb out on your own. I’ll take you to your room.” 

In the end, Byul fulfilled her promise. She’d pulled Yongsun up the window to join her and she’d helped her jump out of it. She was like a child playing in the woods, happily climbing trees to eat their apples and jump off of the highest branches. Maybe she was indeed able to do that too. Maybe she could teach her. Maybe in the morrow. 

They sneaked into the palace from the old smithy in the back. The men would certainly still be looking for them and Yongsun wasn’t sure what they would think if they saw the state they were both in, clothes torn apart, wet up to their calves, dirt all over their skins and sweaty, disheveled hair. 

The palace’s hallways were empty, the only source of light coming from one or two torches here and there. No guards were around and Yongsun was sure that they were either watching over the feast or looking for them. It all made her laugh internally, drawing a smile on her lips that Byulyi was sure to notice quickly. 

She felt like a child having fun, hiding and walking on her tip-toes to avoid being caught. So many years had passed without Yong feeling like this. She felt almost free. 

“I’ll see you in the morrow.” 

Byul’s voice distracted her from her thoughts. They were already right in front of her chamber’s doors. Her bodyguard wasn’t around either. If Japan had wanted to kidnap Korea’s heir and ask for a ransom, that night would’ve been the perfect night for it. 

There were no handmaidens inside either. Yong exhaled in relief. She would be alone and at peace for the rest of the night. She wouldn’t be able to bathe and get the dirt off of her completely, but a nice change of clothing and her warm bed would be just enough for the night. 

“See you in the morrow.” The princess answered back in the same wishful tone of voice she didn’t manage to hide. Now inside her room and with Byulyi still standing outside, Yong was able to examine the other woman more closely. 

Moonbyul was probably dirtier than she was. The gat was gone, probably forgotten in the woods. One shoe had also disappeared and the other one was torn. The silky bajis now had holes in them and so did the jeogori, which partially exposed a side of Byulyi’s abdomen. 

There was mud under her fingernails and the palms were calloused from all the climbing and holding onto pointy stones. The slight makeup was still there but it was almost invisible under all the smeared dirt on her cheeks and neck. The brown hair was messy and there were tiny bits standing up here and there. 

Moonbyul was the picture of a mad woman standing right under her doorframe. If any of her men were near, Yongsun was sure she would’ve been tackled to the ground immediately. And yet, Yongsun thought she looked pretty. 

“May I kiss your hand?” 

The door was shut in her face. 

Outside, Yongsun was able to hear Moonbyul’s laughter resound in the empty hallways. It made her smile too, grateful that she was out of sight now. 

“Goodnight.” Byulyi sang as she stepped back to take her leave. 

“Goodnight.” Replied Yong in the same intonation, chuckling to herself as to how silly the situation was. 

The blonde heard Byul’s pace getting further and further away. Once the sound stopped, she let herself fall face-first on her bed, not caring about staining the soft white blankets, and murmuring miserably against the bed covers. 

“Oh, no.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> at last! it's been a while. i truly missed this story. this chapter was really fun to write and i just want to start exploring their character's better and better. i still have a long way to go with the story, war hasn't even started yet, but i'm really enjoying writing this. thank you so much for reading too! i really hope you're liking it so far.


	6. balcony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “oh. he ended up marrying the princess of china.” 
> 
> china. the biggest empire in the world. 
> 
> “they do have another daughter if you are interested.” 
> 
> “i believe i like the princess of korea better.” 

**MOON BYULYI**

  
  


days had passed since their first meeting took place and casual encounters were starting to become less casual. mostly due to byul’s insistence on showing up wherever she thought yongsun would be at. the princess was starting to lose count of the many times her so-called betrothed would pop out of a closet, a kitchen cabinet or even jump off the ceiling to surprise her. 

yong would punch her every single time. she swore byulyi was going to be eventually executed over assassinating the kingdom’s heir for suddenly landing on top of her. the fact that yongsun’s chambers were right on top of byulyi’s adviser did not help. the brown-haired lady would climb up to her balcony and knock on the windows until a furious and sleepy yongsun opened the doors. 

their fathers knew nothing about the matter, of course. so when the king saw her daughter falling asleep on top of her food in the morning, he was disturbed. he sent for the best maesters in the capital so they could try to find a cure for yongsun’s drowsiness during the day. after so many natural medicine and sleeping potions, yong almost pushed byulyi off the balcony and screamed at her to stop bothering her at midnight. 

byulyi had learned her lesson and stopped visiting yongsun at night. for the first time in days, the princess was joyful that she might actually get some sleep. her handmaidens were called to fill a big tub with hot water, she was served fine wine alongside freshly-cut fruit, and eventually put on her favorite, silky nightgown. 

her eyes closed while her body relaxed. the curtains were opened so the notion of the moon and stars moving was a peaceful view from her room. silence took over the hallways. only her guards, useless at this point, took turns to watch her door, ever so silently. 

minutes passed. no byulyi knocking on the windows still. she felt so serene that she almost cried. with a deep sigh, she tossed to her right side and hugged a soft pillow. a few minutes back, she turned left. again to her right. on her belly and back up. 

when she opened her eyes again, the moon was no longer shining down to her and the stars seemed to have moved. 

_ it’s been hours _ , she realized. 

with a frustrated groan, yongsun threw the covers back and stood up. a robe was tightly secured around her as she opened the door and scared the almost asleep guards on each side of her room. 

“my lady.” they both called at the same time. with no response coming from her, they decided to pursue just in case their help was needed. 

the action only made yongsun’s frustration grow. it had always been like that. her mind could not remember a time when she was alone other than in her chambers at night. and even so, there was always someone standing outside her front door. gossip on the streets, among the smallfolk and even in brothels, was that every wall in the castle had ears. ears from spirits, ears from the dead, ears that would listen and whisper secrets to the king in his dreams.

it was a silly idea, but the metaphor of it all made some sense to yongsun. after all, there was nothing that could be said or done without having it be disclosed to her father, her septa, or her bodyguard. the whole ordeal inside her head only made her walk faster, almost run, to try to get away from the soldiers jogging after her. 

after walking down the stairs and through the many hallways, her fist found itself knocking violently on a door. it was one of the biggest rooms in the palace, besides her own and her father’s. the noise wasn’t about to disturb anyone. even if it did, she was past the point of caring. 

the guards seemed to have lost track of her during the chase. for that she felt some relief, although the thought of her own supposed protectors being so stupid worried her to a degree. that was a matter that was going to be taken care of when the sun was out, however. 

at last, the door opened and her fist almost collided with a yawning moonbyul. 

“what?” byulyi asked in a deep, raspy voice that made yongsun temporarily feel a strange tickling sensation in places she never knew existed. pushing that aside, yong threw yet another punch to an already bruised arm. 

“you have completely messed up my sleeping habits!” the princess yelled, putting emphasis on the argument with a strong push that had byulyi losing her balance, stumbling back a step or two.

“louder, yongsun. i don’t think your father or the monks heard that.”

taking the chance, yongsun stepped into the room and shut the door behind just in case the guards heard all the screaming and ran looking for her again. 

“shut up. just shut up, moonbyul.” with that, she strode into the room and lit some candles around. byulyi wasn’t too sure what to make out of what was happening but decided to play along. 

she was wearing a robe that hid her slender figure as well. grey and blue, the colors of the moon house, with their sigil right on the top right. it all seemed to be adorned with it, yongsun realized soon enough. the room had been decorated with them, and everywhere she looked, a wolf appeared to be glaring back at her. it didn’t feel quite right. she had not seen moonbyul fight, but from what she knew of her so far, she was more of a hamster than a wolf. maybe even a bird. but she supposed that a hamster on banners and shields would not frighten anyone as they charged into battle. 

“if i don’t sleep, you won’t either.” 

that made moonbyul smirk. “what do you have in mind?” 

in the end, the fireplace had been lit and yongsun had summoned one of her servants from sleep to bring her a deck of cards. they had been gifted to her father a while ago by foreigners and, unknowingly to the king, a bunch of boys her age back then, sons of sailors and traders, had taught her how to play. 

byulyi sat crossed legged on the carpeted floor, right in front of the fireplace, with yongsun’s form blocking the burning logs from view. the windows were open. the chill of the night entered the place occasionally, the wind blowing the cards away, something that made them start all over again just for the sake of it. 

moonbyul had some wine hidden in her wardrobe, so she went ahead and took it out. “it’s not that good,” she said as she opened it. “i bought it on our way here to an old lady that had sold none during the day. she was so sure it was tasteful that i had to do everything i could not to spit it out.” 

“it could’ve been poison.” yong reasoned, analyzing the cards in hand. 

the youngest woman poured the wine in two glasses. “it tastes like poison. it isn’t though. if it were, you would not have the pleasure of having me here right now.” 

with a roll of her eyes, yongsun accepted the glass being offered to her. byul took a seat again and went back to her cards. so far, she’d lost every single round they’d played. in any other game, she would’ve made a bet. she enjoyed gambling more than she admitted and had lost not only money, but even land and precious objects in her castle over some petty game. 

not in this one though. she didn’t want yongsun to have ownership of anything she owned. knowing her, she’d ask for her soul or departure. by all the gods, she knew she couldn’t risk it. 

“you’re good at this.” 

“you sound surprised.” 

“it’s not very common to see a lady engage in smallfolk games.” 

“some friends taught me when i was 10.” 

“who?” 

“i’m not sure. i never saw them again.” 

another round, another win for yongsun. it was starting to get boring, so byulyi lied down on her belly and took another set of cards distributed by yongsun. how she enjoyed board games so much, she did not know. she was starting to believe it was just an evil plan to torture her into wanting to fall asleep but not being able to. it was a hideous, yet admirable, plan. 

“do you have a lot of people that you have never seen again?” 

the princess took a while to respond. licked her lips, frowned down at her set of cards, and finally took another one. “most of the time, yes. people who come to seek for an audience with father often. traders, servants, suitors.” 

without even bothering to check, byul took another card. “any particular one you remember? any suitor, i mean.” 

that made yongsun chuckle. “i’ve had too many to count. most of them left voluntarily, and others were chased away by my dog.” 

“i haven’t seen your dog yet.” 

“that means you haven’t done anything too stupid.” a pause. “yet.” 

“i’m surprised. i thought you were done with me.” 

“you’re annoying but not as much as the rest were.” 

“i’m touched.” 

“the last one was almost decent though.” 

the confession sparked byulyi’s interest. “do tell, my lady.” 

“nam yoon-do. i don’t even know how my father found him. he was interesting enough nevertheless. he’d traveled the world, brought back some compelling objects. he even taught me a few words in foreign languages.” 

“and didn’t you like him?” 

“i truly do not understand what part of  _ i like women _ did my father not understand.” yong took a chance to sip on the wine. her face afterwards showed she regretted it entirely. “that and he was too greasy.” 

“am i not greasy too?” 

_ yes, but you’re cute. _

yongsun threw the cards in another victory. “i win.” 

moonbyul was too frustrated to continue and the princess noticed. mayhaps she had enjoyed her little vengeance a little too much already, she was even starting to get hungry by the joy of not allowing byulyi to sleep for a night. but still, sleep was starting to come for her and she assumed that it had been enough torture for a night. 

the pair stood up and collected the cards, along with the glasses and the awful wine. yongsun’s robe slipped to the side and for a moment, her naked back and shoulders were on plain view. quickly, her hands flew to gather the falling piece of fabric back but byulyi had already noticed. 

the box of cards was swung at the back of her head to make that stupid grin disappear from her face. 

“whatever happened to that nam yoon-do in the end?” byulyi asked, door opened and with yong already on the other side ready to walk back to her chambers. the hallways were dark, so the princess stole a small candle from byul’s table to find her way back. 

“oh. he ended up marrying the princess of china.” 

_ china. the biggest empire in the world.  _

“they do have another daughter if you are interested.” 

“i believe i like the princess of korea better.” 

a noise awoke moonbyul the following morning. she hadn’t managed to have enough sleep after the princess left. the moment she closed her eyes, the sun was starting to rise behind the distant mountains. angrily pulling the covers up to cover her face, sleep caught up to her for a few hours until a commotion began outside. 

when she rose, her belly made it clear that she’d missed breakfast by a lot. luckily, she kept some biscuits she’d stolen from the table a few days back. the bread was hard but it would suffice. with a loud click of her fingers, her servants entered her room with a tub and water that had already turned lukewarm.

after bathing and dressing in a simple pair of white bajis and grey sokgui, the woman left her chambers and went looking for the cause of the whole fuss. the place was crowded with her men running back and forth with bags and trunks, all headed to the front gate. 

“where is my father?” she asked a passing soldier.

with a bow, the man answered, “he is outside, my lady. he is preparing to depart.” 

just like it had been said, she found her father near the gate, horse ready alongside two carts and a carriage. there was a small quantity of men lined up behind, some on foot, others on horses. most of them old and others that she recognized were not very good, with neither swords nor arrows. 

“child.” her father called out from where he was getting his horse equipped. 

“where exactly are you going?” 

“i’m headed south, moonbyul. there are...urgent matters that need to be tended to.” 

“send one of your generals then.” 

“this cannot be handled by my generals. it has to be me.” 

“i’ll go with you then.” 

“no.” his voice was stern. byulyi was taken aback. her father was disciplined and methodical, he’d trained her since she was little to become what she was now. he was everything a soldier needed to be, but he was never mean. not to her. with a deep in-take of breath he was able to calm down and continue. 

“i need you here. your mother is home back in the north, you must stay in the capital, and i must go south to the coast. we must have moons everywhere in this kingdom, you know that very well. our military power is too big, there must always be a moon to command it.” 

“is there anything you are not telling, father?” 

his daughter was too smart to be tricked, he knew. specially after all he had taught her, it was pointless to even attempt to lie to her. still, he could not share the whole truth until he was certain of the situation at hand. 

the old, tall man with a large face, white hair and a small beard, looked around before responding in a whisper. “we have received reports from our coastline that japanese warships have been sighted too near to our land. now, this is all tentative information, but i have to go there to make sure we are all safe.” 

the news struck moonbyul. she was unsure what exactly angered her more, the fact that nobody had shared the reports with her or that the kingdom was in danger. she did her best to hide her shock but it was too easy for her father to catch up. 

with a finger, the man pulled her chin up to meet his brown eyes, the same as hers. “the japanese have been sending requests to the king so he gives them safe passage through korea, all the way to china so they can invade it. the king has refused. we will not abandon our allies.” 

“he hasn’t done anything to try to contain any possible invasion either, though.” 

“and do not let anyone hear you say that. the capital is a dangerous place, child. anything can be considered treason in this land. just stay put.” the man moved and got on his brown horse. 

he was wearing an iron helmet with the sigil of their house proudly marked onto it, alongside an iron and leather armor that covered his torso and went all the way down to his legs. underneath he wore a simple pair of bajis, very alike the ones byul was currently in. his feet were protected by thick boots that went up to his calves. 

moonbyul couldn’t remember a day when she didn’t see her father in military uniform, and yet, this time it felt different. her father had fought battles, she’d witnessed some as she learned when she was younger. fighting against the wild barbarians that declared themselves to be independent from the korean throne and lived near the border between china and korea. sometimes they would even go to help their men in small towns and would capture thieves and rapists. 

but this time, it felt as if her father was actually going off to war. 

the man gently placed his hand on the top of her head as he tossed her hair like he always did when she was little. “don’t worry, child. when have you witnessed your old man lose a fight?” 

byul moved quickly and hugged him by the waist. the horse was tall and her father even taller, so she had to stand on her tiptoes to even be able to reach him. she knew she wasn’t supposed to show fear or weakness in front of the men, but she could not help it. a tear slipped down her cheek and she wiped it on the leather-armor. it was uncomfortable and it scraped her soft skin, but she did not care. 

“be brave, moonbyul. you’re strong, and you’re smart. i named you commander for a reason. command.” 

with a kiss to her head, the man moved the horse and trotted off, not daring to look back at his daughter who still had tears in her eyes. they’d never been apart for too long and even at her age, it was still hard to see her father leave. 

“go and try to charm that princess of yours while you are at it.” the lord screamed from the frontlines with a guffaw. the gates were raised and his small army followed suit. “you two better be married once i’m back, you hear me, girl? and i want a grandchild. i don’t know how but you better figure it out. you sure have the energy for it. there will be no ruler more powerful that a moon and a kim combined.” 

and with that, the gates fell shut again.

byulyi didn’t leave her chambers for the rest of the day. not to eat, not to walk the gardens, not even to go and annoy yongsun as per usual. she would’ve passed out if her stubborn friend and trusted adviser hadn’t brought her some food and practically forced her to eat it. 

_ “father is gone.”  _

_ “so i heard.”  _

_ “you should’ve gone with him, jin. he might need you.”  _

_ “i’m your friend and right hand, not his. he has his own men.”  _

_ “he didn’t bring too many with him. they were mostly old soldiers and poorly-trained peasants.”  _

_ “he must have had his reasons. maybe there is an army already there, wherever he is going anyway. now eat, before i shove this piece of bread down where the sun doesn’t shine.”  _

her belly was full but her heart still ached. she hadn’t moved from the floor since jin left. byulyi was the perfect image of misery and she was well aware of it. she knew she should be strong and put up her fierce face for her men to see. and she would. soon enough she’d pull herself up and face reality. but not that night. her father wasn’t dead but she still felt deep sorrow for the possibility of it.

it was odd. she’d guess that after so many years, that feeling of having to say goodbye to family and friends that march onto a battle would be gone. after so many times, so many who have left but have not returned. but the years passed and she would always mourn her friends who had sacrificed their lives for the kingdom, and she would always shed a tear at the thought of her father not returning home. their soon to be enemies were known for one thing in particular, and it was not their gentleness.

“fuck.” she mumbled. the last piece of bread that seokjin had left behind just in case she got hungrier later was unceremoniously thrown into the fire that her friend had also lit for her. it was supposed to be summer, but the nights were getting colder and the wind would blow more violently. 

except the noise that came from outside wasn’t caused by the wind. after all, despite her own sadness, she was still the commander of the moon army and decided to be careful. 

standing up, byul moved quietly to stand on one side of the closed balcony door. there was more noise, a small crash, and something that sounded like an  _ ow _ . the door was unlocked and byulyi got ready for any unwelcome guest that might make a sudden appearance in her bedroom at the nightly hour. or jin. in either way, she’d take the excuse to throw him to the ground. 

the door opened softly and byulyi attacked. in no time, she had the other person against a wall, both hands behind their back and with a knife threateningly pointed at their throat. oh, how much she really wished it was jin just to laugh for the first time in the entire day. 

when the person spoke, however, she went pale. 

“are you out of your stupid mind?” yongsun screamed as she squirmed and tried to kick her way out of byul’s strong grip. “guards! guards! namjoon! get in here, now!”

“no. no. yongsun. wait.” byul pleaded, letting her go at once with the knife being tossed to the side for safe measure. “i’m sorry. i thought you were someone else. forgive me.” 

“you could lose both of your hands for that. did you know?” 

the pointed comment made her heartache momentarily turn to anger. “i wouldn’t be too useful for your pleasure without them, would i?” 

the slap was heard all the way to china, moonbyul was sure. her cheek stung, the mark of yongsun’s hand was printed on it without a doubt. she hadn’t received many of those in her life. the ones that she had were deserved, she supposed. this one was one of them.

“my father just left.” byul admitted. when she moved her neck to face yongsun again, it cracked. the princess was still red on the face, shaking with anger, fists ready to move into action. “he always leaves but i’m not sure if he will come back this time.” 

the words made yongsun relax. not entirely, but at least the fists were gone. 

moonbyul was about to speak again when the captain of yongsun’s bodyguard militia and future captain of the queensguard kicked the front door open. in no time, the room was filled with men dressed in armor, much like the one her father had been wearing when he departed. except this one was red and golden, with a dragon on the helmet and chest instead of a wolf. 

four men surrounded yongsun and one particularly tall one got in-between the two. he had long, brown hair and a strong body. it was clear that the man had been trained since he was little to become a soldier, and not just any soldier, but a captain. 

“are you alright, my lady?” the man asked, hand on the hilt of his sword. 

had she not been in such a depressive state of mind, moonbyul figured the situation would’ve been an amusing one. how many men she would be able to take down before the tall lad got to her, she wasn’t sure. but a lot of them. five minimum. 

“we can take her down to the dungeons if it pleases my lady.” another soldier said. moonbyul could feel the hand of said man on her shoulder and had to do everything in her power not to fight back. 

_a night in the dungeons would be quite fun_ , she eventually decided. maybe if the king banished her from seoul, she’d be able to join her father down in the coastline. it’d all been already decided in her head.

“no. that’s fine. thank you, namjoon.” 

the surprise made moonbyul tilt her head back up in a swift movement, brow furrowed. yong appeared to have the same confused expression as she did. byulyi was sure even she was struggling to understand the words that were coming out of her.

“it was my fault, actually. it’s all just a misunderstanding.” 

"are you sure, my lady?"

namjoon looked wary, eyeing the dagger that laid discarded on the bedroom floor. the princess could only nod in response. 

“as you wish.” a wave of his hand sent the rest of the men walking out the room. still, namjoon remained cautious. “i’ll be right outside if you need me.” 

the chamber was again empty except for the pair of women who hadn’t moved an inch during the turmoil. the only noise came from the heavy steps namjoon was taking outside, door half-opened. 

“you shouldn’t have said or done what you did. i do not care what happened today, moonbyul. if those had been my father’s men instead of mine, your head would be on a spike right now.” 

“i know.” said byulyi with a deep sigh. “i know. i’m sorry.” 

the honest apology had an effect on the princess and she finally shifted, moving to take byul’s hand into hers. she pushed her down on the bed to take a seat. if the mood had not been so gloomy, she would’ve made a jest out of it. 

yongsun stood in front of her, hands on her hips, an authoritative look on her face. byul realized that it was the first time she’d seen yong acting like it. not like a princess, but like a queen. 

“you said your father left. i believe he did so without my father’s permission.” 

“i’m not sure. he only said he needed to take care of urgent matters.” 

“what urgent matters? back in the north?” 

byulyi shook her head. 

“where then?” 

“don’t you know already?” 

“know what, moonbyul? would you stop playing around? i swear, if this is a joke-

“why would i joke about my father?” 

that was true. yongsun sighed again. “tell me then.” 

“i can’t.” 

“moonbyul.” 

“you know what they say, yong. about these walls.” 

yongsun was going to let the informal title slide just that once. byul did look concerned though. the princess did acknowledge that. it made her worry. in the days that she’d known moonbyul, she’d never looked worried. not even when she was in danger of being either expelled from the capital, have her titles removed or be hunted for sport. it was always good and collected byulyi. 

“come with me.” 

yongsun led her by the hand to the forest they’d been in the last time they met outside. jumping down the balconies hadn’t been easy, specially in yong’s long chima skirt, but they’d managed. she was sure that namjoon was going to tell her off later but at the moment, all she wanted to do was speak to moonbyul alone. 

they made sure not to go so deep into the forest. there was no light outside and the moon was hidden by a bunch of clouds. there was nobody outside anyway. no men dared to go near the woods because they believed it was haunted. never did it ever crossed their minds that perhaps the sounds they heard inside the forest was just yongsun trying to run away or hide for the millionth time. 

once inside, the pair collapsed against the trunk of an old tree. it was dusty and yongsun was sure that yet another dress of hers would be ruined. byul didn’t seem to mind. her hands were busy collecting small rocks and throwing them into the darkness. 

“moonbyul-

“my father is off to the coastline in busan. there have been sightings of japanese warships near our land for several days now. your father knows, by the way. he just decided not to pay any importance to it, so my father is taking the matter into his own hands.

he is no fool. neither am i, and neither are you, yong. we know what this means. the japanese are coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, this was quite a long one. the writer's block is gone and i am back! i hope you enjoyed this chapter. things are are barely starting to get complicated, we have a long way to go still. also, just wanted to say again that this is based on the actual japanese invasion of korea in 1528. it's an interesting part of history. just dont read it on wiki yet. spoilers!
> 
> kudos and comments are always welcomed and appreciated <3


	7. meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yongsun’s voice resonated in the tower, bouncing back and forth between stony walls. joon sat straight, a baffled look on his features. the man was smart, smarter than anyone she’d ever known. she knew he’d figure what was coming next. maybe even before she did. 
> 
> “moonbyul is not a part of the royal family. yet.” 

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  


morning came fast enough. too fast. or maybe it felt like it did because yongsun only managed to sleep for a few hours. she was still in deep slumber when there was a knock on her balcony door. many knocks followed, annoying ones. it was easy to know who it was. so, begrudgingly, the princess stood up not even bothering with covering her form with a silky robe or brush her tousled hair. 

“i’ve called for a small council meeting.” moonbyul said as soon as the doors opened. it seemed like byul had not had much luck with sleep either, but she looked better than yong did. at least she was dressed in a grey and black jeogori, brown hair cascading down her shoulders and back, not tied back for once, sleeves rolled up to her elbows. 

it took yongsun a few seconds between waking up fully and pushing aside the thought of how handsome byulyi looked for her to respond. “a small council? without my permission?” 

“they’re not your father’s counselors. they’re ours.” 

the king had a private room to hold meetings but the pair knew it would be too stupid to make use of it. any reunion that was not announced to the king could be interpreted as plotting. yongsun would be safe but she was afraid that her companions would not. 

her betrothed guided her to the back of the kitchens. they had to play the part of being just two silly brides-to-be on their way-too early morning stroll as they passed the soldiers guarding certain areas of the main palace. yong had needed to change fast and so she did. with a pink chima and white jeogori with flowers patterns adorning the outfit, she looked like the perfect image of a princess who could do no wrong, arm holding byul’s closely. 

when they finally got to the kitchens, yongsun let go of her partner’s arm quickly. “you’re sweaty.” 

“i'm nervous, yongsun.” 

“are you not supposed to be a war hero or something like that?” 

“i’d be stupid if i wasn’t nervous about your father finding out.” 

fair enough. 

“it was about time.” a voice said. 3 figures popped out from behind one of the kitchen’s counters. one she recognized as namjoon. the lad looked as elegant and chivalrous as always. one time, yongsun remembered, when she was little the idea of marrying him flashed through her head. even nowadays she assumed that it wouldn’t be too bad were it not for the fact that kim najoon happened to be her cousin. she’d learned so after she asked her father to make the arrangements. the next day she hurled a quill to the back of his head. they were family so yongsun now had the right to pester him. 

next to him stood seokjin. byul told her about the man on their way to the kitchens but she didn’t quite imagine him to look like that. he was tall, not as tall and namjoon but she still had to crack her neck up to face him. jin was as graceful as he was beautiful. yongsun had never seen a man quite like him and found herself to be in a trance-like state for more than she could count. 

jin seemed to notice but did not embarrass her by showing it. with a bow, he spoke, “my lady.” 

“my lady.” the man next to him repeated. she was familiar with this other one as well, except she did not see him as often as she saw namjoon. yoongi was raised to be a scholar but decided to be a warrior instead. namjoon had taken him under his wing from an early age.

the boy was known to be stubborn and sometimes sharp of tongue, but it was the combination of audacity and compassion that made the crowds love him. yoongi was severe when he needed to be, but was also kind, something oddly shown by her father’s city patrollers. 

and so she’d named him captain. 

“follow me.” yongsun whispered to her party. they all did as she said. the princess knew the place like the back of her hand. not even her cousin or her captain had traveled to the many passages, hallways, dungeons, and sudden turns or dead-ends the palace had. 

three turns, two staircases down, and four up. three dark passages and one decaying ballroom later, they found themselves at the foot of a tower. namjoon seemed lost while byulyi was dazed.

“it’s an old library.” yongsun said, fumbling with the door’s lock. “my father thought it too old so he built a new one.” 

“how old? are there dragon bones in there?” byul asked excitedly, hopeful. 

jin was punched on the arm after he let out a mocking scoff. 

“i’m not sure. i haven’t been here in years.” 

“what do you mean you’re not sure? dragons never existed.” 

“address the princess in a formal manner, jin.” said namjoon from behind. when the pair had time to speak and become close enough to drop honorifics, yong did not know. 

“what do you mean you’re not sure, _my lady_?” 

yong knew namjoon was rolling his eyes, she did not need to see him to know. the lock finally gave out, the door creaking open. behind it, stone steps that led to the top of the one-room tower. 

“more stairs.” yoongi complained but climbed reluctantly. 

the tower was tall enough that the entire country could be seen from the top. windows could not be opened, they could not risk being seen there, but the sun slowly rising from behind the hills could be discerned beyond the dirty windows. 

byulyi approached one carefully while yong and namjoon busied themselves with attempting to clean the chairs and table from the decades-long collected dust. the forest she and yong had met in was larger than she thought, with a tree as tall as the tower proudly standing almost at the end, orange leaves falling down. 

“a holy tree.” her adviser said from behind. “it is said that centuries ago when the kims first arrived in this land, they planted a small seed that fell from the sky one night as they took shelter nearby. they were hoping for a fruit tree, but that’s what they got. their dynasty has not fallen ever since.” 

“how do you know so much about this place?” 

he shrugged. “there is not much to do but read with you in there playing hide and seek with the princess.” 

of course jin knew. jin knew everything. from what she thought of his ugly outfit to the last slice of salted fish she ate at the end of the day. it was his job, she supposed, to know her so well. it did tend to get annoying though. 

her attention went back to the landscape. behind the sacred tree the forest kept going for a few more miles until it reached the short walls that surrounded the palace. they were so short that byuli still wondered how yong had not been capable of jumping over them the night they met. 

“stupid, aren’t they? if someone wanted to get inside the palace they would only need a ladder or two.” 

“would you get out of my head already?” 

“if i were truly in your head i would’ve gone mad by now.” 

yongsun cleared her throat and their banter ended. they both sat around still dusty-table, surrounded by bookshelves that went as far as everyone could see. there was almost no light, the only source of it coming from the slow sunrise outside. 

the princess noticed byul shiver for a short moment and she wondered if the thought of dragon bones frightened her deep inside. she really hope they did.

“i’m losing beauty sleep.” yoongi started, quickly making joon run a hand through his hair with a deep sigh. 

the action made jin smile. yong knew byulyi would use it to vex him later. 

“there is an important matter that has to be discussed in private.” 

“does the king know we’re doing this?” yoongi asked innocently. 

“if the king knew we’re doing this why would we be hiding?” namjoon replied, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“isn’t this against the law?” 

“it isn’t. i’m his daughter. if i want a meeting with my own and future small council then i shall have one.” 

“is lady moonbyul a member of the small council then? have you agreed to marry her?” it was joon’s time to ask the questions now that yoongi had gone quiet. 

the room turned awkward and all yong could do was stutter a word or two out. byul said nothing, just sat and stared at her intently, waiting for her elaborate answer. would she finally accept her proposal while surrounded by their annoying friends? she truly did not hope so. it wouldn’t be a romantic tale to share with the grandchildren. 

at last, yongsun composed herself. “lady moonbyul has passed onto me a vital piece of information for the safety of our country. that’s why she’s in the small council.” 

“so that’s a no?” a groan by his teacher accompanied yet another of yoongi’s inquiries. “i thought you would. i have a bet, my lady.” 

jin laughed while joon’s forehead hit the table. the future small council looked precarious. nothing but a bunch of boys and two ladies that couldn’t go a day without trying to kill each other. 

_ the realm is in ruins before the japanese even arrived _ , yongsun thought in despair as she realized their position. she was not meant to rule, she could barely control her small council, people that were chosen by her specifically. she could never lead a country. she was never meant to be a leader. maybe-

byul punched the table with her fist hard. the few papers and books on it jumped slightly at the action and the remaining dust floated around. silence fell in the room. yong saw the brown-haired woman pointedly looking at the men around her and then shifting her sight towards her. 

the princess had never seen her like that, with her commander act up, fierce, angry. she had even started to believe it did not exist at all. but under byul’s strong gaze, she shrunk. “continue, princess.” 

“right.” her throat felt dry and the dust was surely going to give her some allergies, but yong pushed herself forward. if she was going to lead a nation one day, she might as well start with her small council. “lady moonbyul’s father departed yesterday to our country’s shores. there’s been word from the locals that japanese ships have been sighted near our oceans.” 

“fishing ships?” 

“no. my father would not ride for a month, almost two, if they were merely japanese fishing boats. those are warships.” 

“so an invasion?” namjoon addressed byul. it was the first time they’d interacted since last night, when the kim commander tried to drag her to the dungeons. it made yongsun a bit tense without knowing why. “what’s the japanese business with us? we have done nothing to them.” 

“they have requested my father free passage through our mainland so they can march to china and occupy it. they mean to overthrow the emperor.” 

“what has been the king’s answer?” nobody made a sound now that yoongi was asking important things. byul only laid back on her chair and watched the whole affair develop, watching yong closely. 

the heaviness of byul’s gaze made her stammer a bit again. she made her own nails sink into her hands to continue. “he has said no, of course. china is our main ally, our cooperation critical for our survival. my father is king and korea serves him but he serves the emperor. they’ve come to our aid during difficult times and we will not betray them.” 

“surely. but are we ready for an invasion? if the king keeps denying the japanese they will take us by force.” 

“i believe this is something that not only involves the capital but also the north.” jin finally spoke, moving to rest his elbows on the table in the most relaxed manner. his lady didn’t move. her eyes were still fixed on yongsun. or so she felt. 

“if they invade our coasts down south they will march onto the capital on the middle lands and then to the north, korea’s last stronghold against the japanese. i’m afraid the king is too busy with developing folklore and arts in the country to busy himself with the matters of war.” 

“so what you’re saying,” joon continued, “is that we’re not ready.” 

“that’s about it.” 

“you could’ve just said that then.” 

“i wanted to be dramatic about it.” 

byul’s gaze turned more intense. yong could sense it. except this time, instead of making her recoil, it made her stand up, hands on the table. “korea is going to be invaded soon. we don’t have enough warships and we don’t have enough men. our armies are spread all over the kingdom. three thousand men per small house will not suffice against eight thousand japanese.” 

“or more.” 

it was the first time byulyi had spoken since she granted yongsun the command of the council. the first time since her heavy stare was off of her. 

the lack of it made her feel strangely lonely. 

the commander stood up, much like the princess had, both on opposite ends, facing each other. “the japanese might have more men than what we expect. we must unite our armies, train them together, reunite all the generals, all the captains, commanders and lords of every house in korea so we can strategize together and prepare for the worst.” 

“and who is going to lead them if they were to listen and abandon their lands to come here? you?” namjoon asked moonbyul from his seat, now lying back, sword almost touching the floor as it dangled from the leather belt around his hip. “with all due respect, lady moonbyul. you’re a moon, true. but to lead all the armies from all the houses in korea, you must belong to the royal family. and i must say, you’re not neither from the royal family nor the queen.” 

seokjin smirked, eyeing byulyi with quick glance. the woman in question didn’t say anything. for the first time since yongsun had know her, she was at a loss of words. and it was all because namjoon’s words were true. moonbyul was  _ stupid _ , yong knew so, but she’d not dare defy something she knew was the truth. honor. honesty. whatever knights lived their lives by.

no matter how a great warrior she was, she would have no more power than the other vessel houses. they’d have to be commanded by one of her father’s men, people who had not fought in years, people who would drive korea to its demise. 

moonbyul was her last chance. moonbyul was the only person who had understood her in so long. moonbyul was the only person who had made her feel strong. moonbyul was-

“yet.” 

yongsun’s voice resonated in the tower, bouncing back and forth between stony walls. joon sat straight, a baffled look on his features. the man was smart, smarter than anyone she’d ever known. she knew he’d figure what was coming next. maybe even before she did. 

“moonbyul is not a part of the royal family. yet.” 

both moved at the same time, taking their hands off of the table at the same time, and stepping closer to each other at the same time. “i do accept the marriage proposal.” yong whispered as she took one of byul’s hands into her own. 

“i do.” she repeated, louder this time, for everyone to hear. 

after a moment of complete silence had passed, seokjin jumped from his seat and onto the table. “congratulations!” 

the walk back to their chambers was not as awkward as yongsun thought it would be, but something felt different. something between the pair had changed, the princess could sense it in the thick atmosphere. 

she side-eyed byulyi who looked distracted enough with the many portraits hanging on the walls as the princess was escorted by namjoon to her room and byulyi had decided to tag along. her bride-to-be didn’t look particularly changed. the aura around her the same as always. her fingers still poking at her belly to annoy her just as before. 

mayhaps something had changed but not in byulyi, but in herself. 

it was something she could not figure out. not yet. 

“my lady.” namjoon bowed when they reached yong’s room. “follow me, lady moonbyul.” 

“actually, joon. i’d prefer for lady moonbyul to stay with me until we’re called for our morning meal.” 

“that wouldn’t look too proper to other people, my lady.” 

“well, thankfully there are no other people around.” 

it made namjoon smile, that it did. his cousin had always been like that, ever since they were little, taking history lectures together and playing in the courtyard for the rest of the morning. always so bold. always so obstinate. 

“as you wish, my lady.” 

“he doesn’t like me.” byulyi stated once inside yong’s room, a place she was used to being in more than her own. 

“joon has never been keen of my suitors. he’s quite protective of me. don’t mind him, he’ll come around.” 

“maybe he was a crush on you.” the moon heir, now princess to be, sat on the edge of yong’s large bed. the covers were still messy, the fires still lit despite sunlight entering the room from the many windows. it was obvious the maids hadn’t shown up just yet. it was still too early and she’d have to be gone before they came. 

“or maybe he is just my cousin.” 

byul turned to look at her with a bewildered expression on her face. it was so dumb and cute that it made yongsun chuckle like a dreamy little girl infatuated with a knight. she meant to push it aside, but now that they were meant to be married for certain, she figured it did not matter anymore. 

“well, that explains him despising me. it runs in the family.” 

a pillow was thrown to her head. when she turned back to return the blow, yongsun was laughing so hard that her hands desperately clutched at her sides, feet kicking the bed as she was lying down on it. 

it was an endearing sight, so byulyi decided to enjoy it for a few more seconds before attacking. 

when the pillow fell to the floor, byul chose another particular strategy. a tickle war started, with yongsun suffering the worst part of it. 

byulyi was close, she had her trapped under her, knees on either side of her torso, one hand holding both of yong’s wrist tightly and the other tickling her sides. yong was squirming and kicking, not being able to stop her laughter. 

she couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed this much. 

when byul got closer to gather her wrist back in a tight hold, she took her chance. in a swift movement of her head, yong closed the little space left between them and gave byul’s lips a quick peck. 

it wasn’t a kiss, but it was just enough to make moonbyul pause in shock and release her. with the final chance, yongsun freed her hands and pushed moonbyul on her back by the shoulders. finally, she was on top, knees straddling her and hands at the sides of her head. captured. 

laughter died down until only gasps could be heard. the eldest could’ve continued the war, torturing byulyi with tickles until she fell off the bed, but the other woman resting her hands softly on her hips made her grow still. 

they stayed there, tracing soft circles on her body, eyes not leaving yong’s, so, so fondly.

the princess’s hands shifted slowly until they covered those on her hips. caressing a finger, a thumb, the back of her hands, everything she could touch, everything she could explore. it perplexed yong to know that if she could stay in bed and explore moonbyul’s hands all day long, she would. 

“byul?” 

“hmm?” 

“can you teach me how to fight?” 

“you won’t have to fight. i’ll protect you.” 

the words sent tingles inside her belly but they also made her groan in disgust.

“shut up.” it was an order but a shy smile betrayed her. still, she persisted. “teach me. i want to know the men who might die for me and for this kingdom. i want to learn how to defend myself if something happens too.” 

“nothing will happen to you.” byulyi reassured, voice hoarse. 

yongsun ignored the repetitive tingle and decided to put up her serious face. “please, byul.” 

with a sigh, the commander stopped her sweet ministrations, something yongsun received with a whine. she sat up, face closer to yong’s, so close that the princess could feel her words more than she could hear them. with determination to not let her win this one, yong circled the woman’s sides with her legs, trapping her and getting impossibly closer. 

“teach me.” 

a hum. "as my lady commands.” 

despite the tension around the pair, neither dared to dive forward and kiss the other. both of them too adamant. both of them not wanting to admit to the other how badly their desire burned inside. both of them not wanting to be first for once in their lives. they were meant to be married. they’d be plenty of time to decide who’d break first. 

“yong.” the commander said instead. 

“yes?” 

“will you marry me because you want me to win this war for you or because you really want me?” 

yongsun toyed with a strand of hair on byulyi’s shoulder, curling it and letting it straight itself back. nails grazing whatever skin was visible on byul's neck and shoulders, yong moved closer to the woman's ears and whispered. 

“ _both_.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe we are on chapter 7 already and the war hasn't even begun lmao i just love this story so much, i want it to last forever. also, more moonsun to follow before everything starts to get serious. 
> 
> thank you so much for reading, your comments and kudos <3 i never expected this fic to get this many kudos, i truly appreciate it. 
> 
> stream moonbyul's new solo album eclipse on february 14th!


	8. command

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yongsun was silently cursing the warm feeling in her guts at the moment. thankfully, byul decided to move back. “now, you wanted me to teach you. i’ll teach you.” 
> 
> that made the princess excited enough. shifting herself into position, she got ready

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  


ravens were sent and their banners had been called by sunset. the king wouldn’t notice, not at first. not until army after army started galloping through the city gates in search for their respective commanders. and she was going to be that commander for every single one of them. 

byul suggested yong tell her father about it. if not, the king was going to believe that his own daughter had risen in rebellion to dethrone him. yong had listened, that she was sure about, but the certainty of the princess following the advice was not there. they’d been quite busy kissing and biting each other on every inch of exposed skin they could find. 

everywhere and anywhere except on the lips. 

when moonbyul paused trailing yongsun’s neck with her tongue to give her counsel, the only response she’d received was a whine and a “ _ yes, yes, i shall. keep going _ .” 

and now, as she swaggered her way to the courtyard to meet the men she’d be training, all clad in iron lamellar armor gilded in blue and white, white bajis covered by an armored skirt and thick boots, helmet with a wolf forged on the side and her long sword hanging by her hip, moonbyul truly hoped the princess had at least mentioned something about it. 

it did look suspicious. not that the king would have a military mind to discern an uprising from a simple training day, but during these times, she assumed nobody really knew.

seokjin appeared fast enough behind her, lurking in the shadows as he often did. she paid him no mind until he started talking. 

“could you please keep your hands off of the princess until you’re married?” 

“and could you please stop having your people follow me around? it’s terrifying.” 

“i’ve seen you doing worse, believe me.” the memories of catching his friend in compromising circumstances with other girls in the past made jin gag in disgust. for that byulyi was glad, at least. 

let the prying idiot suffer a bit. 

“i can’t make any promises.” the warrior shrugged, that smug smile on her face as per usual. it only made jin grow more frustrated. 

“if the king finds out-” 

“the king won’t find out. he barely knows where he’s standing.” 

their sight met the courtyard and there they were. well more than four thousand men, as far as jin could count. most kim soldiers, the other half were moons, while the rest looked like lowborns or peasants looking for either glory or some food to fill their bellies.

either way, they could all fight, and that’s what the pair needed. 

“four thousand men in his backyard and the king hasn’t even noticed.” jin whispered, not moving until byulyi did so, regaining some control over his limbs. 

he wasn’t dressed to fight. no armor, no helmet, and no sword. jin had never had the necessity to engage in battle. his brain was well enough. he knew how to scheme and most importantly to byul, he knew how to cheat. so she kept him in the barracks, in the tents, wearing his pretty golden tunic and neatly combed hair with five men to guard him. 

byul needed his brain intact. as far as she knew, and if he kept on spying on her and yong’s private moments, he could deal with one or two parts chopped off. 

the moon soldiers bowed at the presence of their lady. the kims regarded her with a small movement of their heads but nothing more. the lowborns gaped at her as she walked onto a wooden platform in the middle of the yard and started giving instructions. 

the more experienced soldiers and some knights would be at the heads of their groups. each group would be made out of ten men. archers on one side, infantry on the other, calvary near the stables, pikemen on the center, and the newly set of longbows sent from china on the back. 

“when you see the carpenter tell him that i need him to start working on the weapon i mentioned him on our way here.” byulyi told one of the moon soldiers waiting for his turn in a two-men duel from his own group. 

“yes, my lady.” 

the small group of lowborns was left in a corner after everyone had withdrawn to their designated posts. there weren't too many of them. mayhaps 75 or less, byulyi thought. some were dressed in rags, others had no shoes. there were others in more presentable clothing, most likely a son who was eight in line of succession of a small land that did not even have a proper noble house. there were two or three with hoods on, covering half their faces. 

in any case, byul knew they’d be put to good use. if not as a swordsman, perhaps even as a cook or a steward. anything was useful in war. 

“go with him to the barracks,” byulyi ordered them as she pointed a jin. “he will fetch you some decent armor and some weapons so you can try them out. he’ll also find you a bed, some food, and some extra clothing.” 

the group looked grateful enough. the peasants, more specifically. byul knew that if she treated them well, word would be passed around that inside the castle walls you could get free meals and clothes in exchange for some fighting. 

_ free food in exchange for their lives, _ byulyi thought. nobody knew what war was like. 

deep inside, now even she knew what this type of war was like either. 

the barracks were small with way more straw-beds that it could fit, but the men looked happy. each took an accommodation except for one, who wandered inside the place, checking the windows, the fireplace, and even the beams. 

“you will find some training clothing in those bags over there. find some that will fit and get changed. now.” 

the men did as they were told. again, except for one. the one with a hood still on, covering half his face. he did go fetch some of the old and already-worn clothing from the bags, but he did not move to get changed. jin sighed, hitting his forehead against a wall and asking the gods what he’d done to deserve this. 

“alright. out. all of you. go look for your commander for further instructions.” 

once they were all out except for the one he had his eyes on, he finally spoke. “princess yongsun, have you lost your mind? what are you doing here? if byul sees you she will go mad.” 

the hood finally fell only to reveal an aghast yongsun, eyes so open in surprise that jin thought they were going to explode. “how did you know it was me?” 

“why, you weren’t too convincing. anyone with half a brain could’ve noticed.” 

“well, nobody noticed when i was on my way here.” 

“because these men don’t have brains. that’s why they die for people they’ve seen twice in their lives. why are you here?” 

yong shrugged. “moonbyul told me that she would teach me how to fight.” 

“did she offer or did you force her?” 

“anyhow.” yongsun disregarded the comment with a swift flick of her wrist. “she said she would teach me but in the early morning i heard men assembling in the courtyard and i was told nought of it.” 

“byul  _ is _ an idiot but i don’t think she’d be stupid enough to risk the safety of her majesty.” 

“that’s quite the way to address your lady.” 

that made jin scoff. “if i could climb up to the highest mountain in korea and scream that byul is an idiot i would. but i have more sense than she does. that’s why i’m her oh great adviser.” 

the clanking sound of swords could be heard from outside, alongside some cheers and some other screams. it was making yongsun grow eager and it was quite the difficult task trying to hide it. she shifted her weight continuously and chewed on her lip, attention away from jin as he spoke. 

when he was finally done, it was her time to speak up. “that’s quite a lovely story, seokjin. but if you allow me, i’d like to change into whatever garbs these are so i can go outside and train with my men.” 

“you’re quite feisty, aren’t you?” jin laughed. the observation was enough to make yong grow angry, her attention finally going back to the young man. but before the princess could say anything, the lad backed away, hands up in the air. “do as you please, your majesty. i’ll be nearby. just make sure not to get too hurt. and please, i do beg, make sure i’m around when byul finds out.” 

and with that, jin exited the barracks, leaving the princess alone and oddly cold. the clothes were dirty. she was sure they hadn’t been worn for years, and some stains suggested they’ve been taken off of dead men. hers, a simple chainmail with a red leather coat and black mail-skirt, had three holes, two in the back and one in the chest, right in the heart. arrows, she was sure. 

whatever blood had been spilled was not there anymore, only some brown-ish spots around the holes. with a deep intake of breath, yongsun put it on. underneath, she wore a white jeogori with same-color bajis that went into a pair of boots she’d stolen from namjoon. they were too big for her and she could barely walk properly, but they’d do. with her hair up in a bun, a scarf around her mouth and nose, and a dirty helmet, she followed seokjin outside. 

the day was turning out to be too long. the heat of midday made some men pass out and others look for some shade under the trees. most were exhausted. 

_ they haven’t fought in years _ , byul realized in no time. it was a bleak thought. seeing all the men around her on the floor, under the trees as if they were resting in the beach, some sparring for fun, others crying because of a small cut in their arm or hand. the kingdom was in greater danger than her father had thought. 

“the king has done quite his job, hasn’t he?” 

the sun was starting to set behind the mountains she’d seen the day before from the library tower. after a full day of teaching men how to even hold a sword properly, she was too tired to regard the words that were leaving namjoon’s lips as he sat down next to her on the platform. 

“it’s as if he doesn’t care.” she took a sip of water from a waterskin, offered it to the captain of yong’s queensguard. 

“he doesn’t. that’s the problem.” after a quick drink, he continued. “the king has always been more interested in education, you see. arts. theatre. teaching people how to at least write their names. that’s why our kingdom is so highly knowledgeable and literate. much for than china, i’d said.” 

“yes. and none of that will matter when we’re all dead.” 

“ _ get up! again! _ ” they heard a man shouting from the distance. a knight, they quickly realized. most of the soldiers had already left to their barracks and tents.

dinner was going to be served soon and the water from the nearest river was going to go cold as soon as night hit, so most of the men had hurried back to rest after a long day of training. except for that lot. 

there was a boy on the floor, scarf strangely wrapped around most of the bottom of his face. his clothes were dirty and it seems like he’d taken a few hits from the wooden swords the newcomers were using. the guy above him seemed lanky, the son of a farmer for sure, but he was still beating the other boy so his form did not matter in the end. 

“ser eun-sang!” byulyi cried out. the knight stood at attention immediately. “bring those lads over here. captain kim namjoon over here and i would like to see their progress.” 

the man did as he was told, the group of 8 following him suit except for the boy on the floor. he stayed put, attempting to crawl back to the barracks in silence until the knight grabbed him by his collar. “are you deaf, boy? do as your commander says.” 

unceremoniously thrown on the dirt in front of byulyi and joon, the boy did his best to keep his eyes down as he got up and into position. 

his stance was all wrong, byul noticed quickly. the grip on the hilt of the sword was too strong, his feet trembling too much, shield barely being able to be held up. the other boy ran at him, sword up. 

the small boy put his shield up and the other trainee hit it once, twice, thrice. 

“the rest of his body is unprotected and you’re keen on hitting his shield?” namjoon asked as he laughed, chewing an apple that he’d brought along in one of his bags. moonbyul seemed too disinterested to care to point out all their mistakes. 

joon’s words seemed to distract the attacker well enough for the other boy to discard his shield and jump forward, swinging his long-wooden sword left and right. the hits were dodged and the swords finally met in combat. the excitement was short-lived though, as the boy with the scarf fell backwards once again, hands up. 

“yield.” the lad whispered. 

“nicely done.” joon said to the victor. it hadn’t been a good fight, but at least he’d recovered from the diversion and won. that was good enough in byulyi’s book. “what’s your name, boy?” 

“jeon jungkook, m’lord.” 

“i’m not a lord.” the apple was finished but a second one was in the bag, so he took it out and continued eating. “ser would be enough. you’re good, jeon jungkook. i look forward to working with you.” 

that seemed to make the boy happy. with a beam, he bowed and went onto help his fallen comrade. when he pulled him up by the hand though, his helmet fell off and the scarf around his face loosened. 

at once, all the men that were still around went down on one knee. 

“dammit.” yongsun mumbled under her breath, tossing the useless scarf away. 

namjoon was as perplexed as anybody had ever seen him. the half-eaten apple was discarded and he ran at her, checking for any wounds or cuts. surely enough, there were way too many to count. some on her neck, yong knew, weren’t wounds, so she tried to cover those up. 

the palm of her hands were scraped, her nails dirty, fingers calloused. there was a cut on her cheek and a bloody bruise on her forehead. “what were you thinking?” 

“guards!” eun-sang screamed. in the blink of an eye, three mean were around jungkook, hands behind his back and knees on the floor. 

“no! stop!” 

yongsun stepped forward. with her tousled hair in a poor-kept bun, dirty hands and face, sword still in hand and covered in chainmail, byulyi thought she was the perfect vision of what a warrior woman would look like. 

if she were drunk, byul was sure she’d mistake her for the goddess of war and justice. the mere idea made her want to go and get some wine just to try out her theory. 

“let him go. it wasn’t his fault. he didn't know it was me.” the kim soldiers did as they were told and jeon jungkook attempted to get up, only to fall again. yong knelt besides him to the surprise of most around. “namjoon. take him to the kitchens. get him some water and order the cooks to make him a nice dinner. find a feather bed for him in the smithy.” 

the captain knew better than to refuse his lady. with the help of eun-sang, they aided jungkook into the palace. the rest of the men dispersed with a quick bow at yongsun, who was still on the floor. so much had transcended that she’d forgotten about moonbyul being there. or at least she had until the voice of her betrothed reached her ears. “come with me.” 

the sound made yongsun turn around in disbelief. “who do you think you are to order me around?” 

byulyi shrugged as she toyed with two wooden swords in one hand. “you’re still in a soldier uniform, so i’m still your commander. i said, follow me.” 

she’d get her back for it. she promised herself she’d have her revenge for that little impudence, but yong still followed reluctantly. byul was right, not that she would ever say it out loud. she’d gotten herself into this. if she wanted to play little soldier, she’d have to follow orders. 

they walked from the courtyard past the barracks and into the forest. it was always the forest. near the small old tower they’d climbed in the first night they’d met. this time, without fear of being discovered, byulyi lit a torch and planted it near the falling bridge above the pond. 

“how did you know it was me?” was the first thing that the princess asked after byulyi offered her one of the two swords. 

yong saw as the commander took off her helmet and her lamellar front and armored skirt, only to be left in her simple long-sleeved and loose white shirt and bajis. she could see the purple marks on byul’s neck and chest behind the poorly-laced round collar of the shirt. the vision made her feel a combination of embarrassment and pride. 

“you forgot to cover your mole.” moonbyul said as she stepped closer to the princess, placing a soft finger on the left side of her face, right next to her eye. “right here. i have one too.” taking yong’s hand into her own, she moved it up and set it next to her right eye. “opposite to where yours is. you didn’t hide it. besides, i know your eyes.” 

yongsun was silently cursing the warm feeling in her guts at the moment. thankfully, byul decided to move back. “now, you wanted me to teach you. i’ll teach you.” 

that made the princess excited enough. shifting herself into position, she got ready. but the fight never started. instead, byul only sighed. “here. your grip is too tight. you can’t maneuver a sword if you’re grasping at it too strongly.” 

“i’ll drop it.” 

“only if you want to die.” once again, byulyi moved closer and took yong’s sword hand. she worked her fingers, placing some in certain positions around the hilt, loosening some while others still held tight onto the weapon. “find the balance.” 

at last, yongsun believe she’d finally made it. she moved the sword around, back and forth, it didn’t fall but it also didn’t feel too constricted. it was a training sword, she knew that much, but it was one step closer to using a real one. 

“i think i got it.” the princess said in glee with a big and cute smile on her face. 

“good.” the words had barely left the commander’s lips when she jumped forward, one blow directed at yongsun that the oldest managed to barely dodge on time. 

“hey!” 

two blows. three blows. four blows. all of them evaded by a merge of luck and ability from yongsun. 

“come on, yong. attack me.” 

“i’m going to kill you. that’s what i will do.” 

five. six. seven. 

had it not been for the swords, it would’ve looked like they were dancing. quite a romantic sight, right next to a pond under the stars in the middle of a forest. yong thought it would be cute if she didn’t feel like drowning the other woman in the water behind them.

“don’t attack when you’re angry at me, yong.” 

“i would never be able to attack then.” finally, yong struck the side of byulyi’s sword with her own. it was her time to march forward and throw the blows. 

one. two. three. 

except byulyi wouldn’t slide past them like she had, but instead block them with her weapon while shifting to the right, to the left, and turning around. with one last turn, she had the pointy end right in yongsun’s stomach, right where she’d been feeling butterflies not too long ago. “there. you’re dead.” 

“you wish.” she jumped again. one. two. three. four. another turn, another poke to the side of her ribs. 

“dead, yong.” 

fixe. six. seven. eight. a slide to the left, a small jump, and the sword was right on her neck. “double dead.” 

it wasn’t funny anymore. it stopped being funny when, during the day, a boy that could not have been older than twelve threw her to the ground in one swift movement. she could not be that useless, she refused to believe she was. 

“come, yong. we can try again tomorrow.” 

nine. ten. eleven.

“yong, stop. i’m tired.” 

twelve. thirteen. fourteen. at last. fifteen. 

“ow.” byul mumbled when yongsun poked at her leg with the sword. 

she wasn’t dead, most definitely. she wouldn’t be able to walk for a few months or so but the fact that she had been able to take a quick jab at any part of byul’s body was still a thing to celebrate for her. hells, she could’ve grazed her nail with the sword and she’d be singing victory. after the day she’d had, after having been pushed and hit so many times, the moment meant a lot. 

and she wasn’t able to hide it. with a smile, she repeated. “dead. dead. dead. dead.” to a tired byulyi who only wanted to sleep. the following day was going to be the same, and the next one too. her belly was empty and her voice weak. and yet, seeing yongsun jumping in circles around her, celebrating her small victory, made her forget it all. 

“dead.” she echoed, hugging yongsun and lifting her up by the waist, turning around and around until they fell to the ground, giggling like idiots. 

just like moonbyul had predicted, the days to follow were the exact same. the men were improving though, and that was enough to distract her from the boredom and exhaustion of having to train most of them. 

the princess stopped joining them. not out of lack of trying, but because most of the men were too scared to do her any harm. jungkook was back, now being personally trained by namjoon in a corner from the courtyard, right next to the archers. 

it had been hard to get byulyi to agree. the commander wanted every man to be seen as an equal, without any special training for anyone. not even for new knights or highborn squires. 

there had been many nights when yong had asked. those nights that were now so accustomed to seeing the pair in the princess’s bed, covers on the floor, clothes still on to the frustration of both. despite byul’s dislike for jin, she knew he was right. she couldn’t touch the princess, not before the wedding. buts he could leave marks where no one could see. 

“ _ byul _ .” 

“hmm?” the brown-haired woman replied as she sucked on yongsun’s hipbone until it turned red. 

“may namjoon train the boy on his own?” 

“no.” 

then another night, as the princess paused her ministrations on byulyi’s earlobe. “byul-ah” 

“yes?” she’d half-moaned in reply. 

“may namjoon train the boy by himself?” 

“ _ dammit _ . no.” 

then two nights later, as yongsun’s nightgown’s skirts had been  _ unintentionally  _ lifted up to her mid-thighs and with the woman in question straddling byul’s abdomen, kissing the warrior’s calloused fingers one by one, “byulyi.” a kiss. “may joon-” a kiss. “train the boy?” a kiss. 

a hoarse groan followed by a set of curse words were her answer. “maybe.” she’d said at last. 

and that maybe had been enough for yongsun to allow namjoon to proceed with the training of jeon jungkook. 

“ _ he’ll be a fine knight one day. _ ” he’d told her once. and she believed him. 

after the days were done, the evenings in the forest were next. they’d moved from wooden swords to real swords. not the specific type that could cut a bear in half, but they were enough to chop one or two fingers off. 

the clanking of their swordfight was buried by the shouting of the men in the barracks as they sang, jested, and made bets. more soldiers had started to come, noblemen and lowborns the same. the barracks had no more space, so there were more tents being lifted around the courtyard and outside the city. the men who had to walk from the mountains into the palace were given twice the food. 

they were all getting better. four thousand had increased to six thousand and they were still waiting for their bannermen to arrive if the war were to start any time soon. 

even yongsun had gotten better. she was now able to carry both, a sword and a real shield, wear more than simple chainmail and do more than dodging the blows. she could count with one hand the times she’d made byulyi yield but she still treasured those moments well enough. 

moonbyul was proud. yong could see it in the gleam of her eyes whenever she’d defeat her, no matter how much she tried to hide it as she ordered for “ _ another. _ ” it became more than evident when one night, as they rested with byul’s back against the trunk of a big tree and yongsun’s back against byul's front, the warrior pulled out a small golden box. 

“i asked the smith to make these for us.” she explained. opening the box, yong saw two small rings with a wolf and a dragon side by side, half red, half blue. “they’re not meant for our wedding. i know the crown provides the rings, but i wanted something just for us.” 

the glee had been too much for yongsun to handle. all she found herself being able to do was kiss byul on the cheeks, on the forehead, on her eyelids, on her jaw. “thank you.” she whispered with a big smile on her face as she saw the rings shine in the moonlight. both so different but so alike at the same time. “i’ll never take mine off.” 

“you better don’t, or i’ll be jin will know.” 

the ring fit her finger perfectly, and yongsun was not able to stop looking at it as she walked into the palace. as soon as she took a step inside, however, one of her father’s men stopped her. “my lady. the king would like a word with you.” 

“what about?” 

“follow me, my lady.” truth be told, yongsun was starting to get tired for people ordering her around. she hadn’t spoken to her father in days though. she had barely seen him. there was word from her handmaidens that the king was too busy preparing a play for a festival next month, but yong did not know for sure. 

her father was in the great hall, sitting on his wooden chair he loved calling a throne. it did not look like one at all, yong had always believed so. it was nothing more than a bench, one that would kill one’s back in a matter of years. 

there weren’t too many soldiers around, only her father’s kingsguard and some servants here and there. he did not look angry, but something was amiss and yong could sense it. 

“father.” 

“child.” he started, voice sweet but stern at the same time. “would you be so kind to explain to me why there is a camp of over a thousand men outside my palace?” 

_ it took him three weeks to realize _ , yong thought miserably. 

“we just believed it would be a good idea to train some men, father.”

“train some men? what for? who is we?” 

“is there any way we can talk alone, father?” 

“anything you must say you can say it in front of my people, yongsun.” 

_ fine _ . 

“moonbyul and i have been receiving worrying reports about some threats in the coast, father. it’s nothing that’s been confirmed yet but we’d rather be prepared.” 

“threats? moonbyul? is that girl still here? i thought you would’ve thrown her out by now like you did with all the rest.” 

_ so did i. _

“has she been the one to instigate all of this madness? is she the one speaking about war? spending the money of the crown in weapons and armor. bringing men into my lands to make them fight like dogs? all of it based on threats with zero credibility.” 

“ _ her _ father rode south to verify the truth in these threats. he was the only one to tend to the call of help  _ our  _ people in the coastline made to every single one house in korea.” 

“that old bastard.” with a click of the king’s fingers, one servant poured more wine into his goblet. “he and i are friends, that we are. but he’s still a moon, and the moons are ever only interested in fighting and war. if they see a small chance in getting it, they leap onto it like the wolves they are. if that girl is in the capital thinking about creating a war inside my walls i will have none of it.” 

“all she wants is to protect the capital, father. as do i.” 

“oh, child.” the anger had left his voice and the sweetness returned. yongsun knew his father wasn’t awful. he’d never been bad to her, not really. but the passing of her mother had wounded him deeply and he’d never recovered. his mood would change rapidly and it had only deteriorated with age. people were starting to believe he was going mad. it made yong sad. “out of all the suitors i brought for you, you had to fall for this one.” 

yong said nothing at this. had she truly fallen for moonbyul now? they did fancy each other, that was beyond question by now. they also did want each other, the still purple marks underneath her jeogori and red cape being enough proof of it. were they really in love though? after a month and a few days, were they really? 

her thumb toyed with the ring she’d just been given, gaze on the floor. 

“i want her gone.” 

“no.” 

the quickness with which she replied surprised even her. the strength in her voice echoed in the otherwise empty hall and bounced back to her. her eyes were no longer on the floor, but looking directly into her father’s eyes. 

rage crept back to the king’s features and it boomed in his voice. “i want her gone. i want her to go back north so she can go and fight her little war up there with the savages and the invisible japanese ships.” 

“i will go with her then. we will hold the north together and try to fight the japanese from there. try and save whatever is left of korea thanks to you.” 

“leave, child.” a pause. when yongsun didn’t budge, the king stood up in outrage and screamed. “i said leave! and take all of those stupid blood-thirsty idiots with you back where they belong!” 

tears were starting to form in her eyes but she did her best to stop them from falling. guards had been sent to escort the princess back to her chambers but she’d pushed them aside and called for namjoon and her own guard. they’d arrived quick enough, sword in hand in case it came down to anything more. jungkook was among them, she could see. 

just like her father though, the king’s men were peaceful and let their princess go without a fight to be taken to her room by her own queensguard. namjoon didn’t ask questions. he’d heard it all from where he’d been standing, ready. always ready. 

“do you need anything?” he tenderly asked her when they reached her bedchambers. yong looked up to him. eyes always so kind, features always so soft, smile always so gentle. the idea of having someone as loyal as namjoon gave her some peace. it was just enough for her to gather the strength to answer without crying. 

“no. i’ll be fine. we’ll talk in the morning.” 

with a courteous nod and a sweet kiss on her forehead, namjoon and his party of men left. they wouldn’t go too far, yong knew. soon enough they’d be back, keeping watch on her door as they often did when there was something wrong. 

“what took you so long?” the playful sound of byulyi’s voice reached her as she locked the door. 

the commander was wearing a simple blue tunic, much like the one jin usually wore, long enough to reach her knees and a pair of black bajis and white taesahyes. she looked like a farmer. a baker. or even a fisherman. her hair was once again loose, just like she loved it. 

it was in those rare moments at night that byul was not a moon and she wasn’t a kim. they were just yongsun and byulyi, and if she closed her eyes as byul hugged her from behind, she could see them as living in the mountains, in a small cabin, tending to the crops and the cattle. but when she opened her eyes, the reality of the palace, the reality of the guards marching outside, the reality of the threat in the coastline came crashing back to her. 

_ tell her to leave. _

“yong, what’s wrong?” 

_ tell her to go back north to fight her little war.  _

tears had finally escaped her and were now free-falling down her rosy cheeks. byul was in front of her in no time, wiping the tears away with her thumbs as gently as possible. “yong?”

she didn’t think herself capable of speaking, of uttering a word. not in that moment. and yet, a rush of adrenaline ran through her veins as she stared at byul’s genuine worried look for her. 

and at last, in that moment, she pushed forward and kissed her on the lips. softly at first. a little bit harder the second time. she felt byulyi’s hands on each side of her face, pulling her closer, kissing her deeply, the saltiness of her tears mixing with the taste of moonbyul.

her own hands flew to grip at moonbyul’s shoulders. both loosely and strongly, like holding a sword. perfectly. nails dug into the blue tunic as byul gave her lips a smooth bite before releasing them. 

byulyi smiled. she wanted to laugh in joy. but the sound of yong’s words stopped her. 

“byul-ah, we have to go. get the men ready. we’re leaving tonight.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are starting to get good! war is coming. also, funny fact, koreans during the joseon era, and most specifically during the japanese invasion, were really like this. they did have military but they saw warfare as something inferior and instead decided to focus on being scholars, reading, and writing. they didn't even have proper armor, they just used whatever the chinese sent them. 
> 
> anyhow, things will start to get serious next chapter so please look forward to it. again, thank you so much for your comments and kudos, i really appreciate every single one of them <3 pls stream eclipse by moonbyul and try to vote for her as well. 
> 
> there is also a fundraiser project in the works for yongsun's birthday, so if you can, please make a donation to yong's selected campaign: https://planaustralia.gofundraise.com.au/page/Kimyongsun-910221


	9. journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a knight came to meet them in the middle of their ride into wonju. “my lords. my ladies. if you follow me i’ll gladly take you to meet with lord jimin.” 

**MOON BYULYI**

  
  


the men were ready before dawn, just like moonbyul had commanded it. hers, at least. the kim army had to be persuaded by their princess, when darkness still pooled around their barracks and they were wearing nothing but smallclothes under the bed-covers.

some had decided to stay. some felt like their loyalty was to the king, not towards his daughter. others thought differently, and silently thought of the king as unfit to rule if all he did while his kingdom was under risk was sit in his pretty small wooden chair and talk about plays and songs, mostly about him and his late wife. 

those were the majority and byulyi was thankful that the scholarly background that had been oh so pushed onto them by the capitol had given them some logic in the end. 

in a way, from a strategic point of view, the commander was glad the deserters decided to remain loyal to the capital. if anything were to happen, at least two thousand well-trained men would remain inside the city walls and could at least try to repel an attack while they waited for reinforcements. 

if the reinforcements came, that was. they were now two thousand less men in their army. byul saw a list on top of a table inside a tent as she arrived to wake the men up. there were pages and pages full of names, most likely peasants and commonfolk that wished to join. the fact that they were not going to be able to do so anymore pained her. 

_ we could’ve had so much more.  _

that’s why they were heading east, to the second most powerful kingdom in korea. 

the richest. 

“have you sent word to lord park jimin to receive us?” byul asked the princess as she adjusted herself on her saddled horse. it was still dark out, no signs of light to be seen any time soon. the pair stood at the frontlines at the city gate as namjoon went to fetch ser yoongi to let them pass. 

“i have. it’ll be on short notice, i’m afraid.” 

“do you think he’ll mind?” 

“he never minds having company.” said yongsun at the commander’s right. her eyes found her cousin running down the steps of the walls with a sleepy yoongi behind. 

they were right in front of them in a rush, both looking up as they tried their best to discern the women’s faces with the small torch joon had lighted. 

yoongi now looked more baffled than drowsy. he noticed the rows of men following the two then. “my lady?” he questioned, brow furrowed. 

“let us through, yoongi. we’d appreciate a hand in opening the gates. i know you’re the only one allowed to give command for it to happen.” 

“princess?” 

the city watch commander wasn’t going to be too easy to convince, byulyi had known all along. the moons were different. they fought and followed for honor. if she ordered her men to jump off the nearest cliff, they’d do it in a heartbeat. they’d proudly die following their leader. 

the army under the kims were nowhere alike. if yongsun ordered them to jump too, they’d certainly do it. only they’d ask why first. they’d ask thousands of questions before some of them actually jumped. it was a much duller, boring process in byulyi’s head. 

“you know why.” moonbyul responded instead. they had to be out there as soon as possible and on their way. jimin’s lands weren’t too far away, true. but it was still a weeks-long journey and they were running out of time. “you were there when we talked about the invasion. the king still refuses to prepare his kingdom for the worst.” 

“and you will? with what? the hundred men you have behind you?” 

“two thousand five hundred.” she was growing more irritated by the second. she was sure yong could sense it as well.

“against what? thirty thousand japanese troops?” 

“yoongi.” yongsun said in a stern tone of voice. both their attention drifted to the princess then. byul was still frustrated but decided to keep it down as much as she could. 

she’d grown to learn that yongsun and herself were the perfect balance between composure and action. patience and fierceness. it often switched from person to person, but they were never in the same spirit. one always steadied out the other. 

“my father has exiled moonbyul and her army. you and i know our unity with the north is the only thing that might save us. that and our allegiance to the east.” 

“are you heading east? aren’t you going north?” 

“why would we go north for?” a cackle from byul was heard as she spoke. “to wait for the japanese to destroy the rest of the kingdom while we wait for them there?” 

the city watch commander shrugged as if it were a plausible option. byulyi opened her mouth again to speak but yong beat her to it quick enough. “we need to head east. i am not plotting against my father. what i’m doing is what’s best for the kingdom. please, let us through.” 

_ a queen does to beg, _ thought byul in irritation. 

“my lady-”

“open the gates. now.” 

_ she commands.  _

byulyi’s proud smirk could be seen as they walked out of the palace and into the city. out there it wasn’t as quiet and peaceful as it was at the other side of the walls. most houses still had their lights on. shouting and laughter could be heard from a few inns here and there. yongsun had heard of brothels, a dirty rumor created to make the king look bad. 

there were no brothels in the erudite capital of korea. there was no drinking. there was no fighting. 

a tipsy man suddenly fell right next to her as they ventured more into the city. the force of the impact caused the muddy floor to send dirt splattering on her riding leather boots. byul was sure her betrothed also saw a half-naked woman running from one house into another, chased by a shadow as they both giggled. 

it made her laugh. especially as she could practically see smoke coming out of yongsun’s ears.

“you southerners are such prudes.” 

it was a distraction that would work well enough. make yongsun enter an argument she was not going to win was always a brilliant way to divert her from doing something stupid. something such as stopping someone to scold them off and revealing herself as the princess with an army following her. no, not good. 

“we are  not .” 

“ _you_ aren’t, i can tell.” her hand grazed the area on her neck that still had a purple mark caused by no other than the woman next to her. “but most of you like to believe you are. as if that makes you smarter. as if not enjoying yourselves somehow turns you into gods.” 

“it’s not that.” the princess’s eyes were still on some people lying on the ground, singing loudly and kissing. they were so overjoyed that they didn’t even notice the royal escort. however, most of her mind was not too preoccupied over it anymore, thoughts shifting to address byul. 

“wanting is not wrong. craving is not wrong, and neither is exploration. but desire sometimes overpowers your mind and takes full control of your body until you can’t think properly anymore. you stop seeing what’s best for others only to follow your own hunger. a queen cannot allow herself that luxury.” 

moonbyul loved hearing yongsun talk. some nights she’d fall asleep to the sound of her voice before being awakened before daybreak so she could return to her chambers without being seen. her ears loved listening to the different concepts and beliefs from this southern land. as different as they were from hers, she still firmly believed they complemented each other in an odd way. 

“you cannot reign if you believe love is weakness. you’d have no compassion for your people.” byul argued. the last gate to be crossed was just a few meters away. the same one she’d crossed with her father and her entourage a month ago, ready to meet and marry the graceful, pure princess of the south. 

what she’d found had been so much different. so much better.

“love isn’t weakness. here. let’s say you were in charge of an important battle. the leader. the commander of over twenty thousand men. the battle that would determine the future of your country. but then, the love of your life is kidnapped. kept in a dungeon to rot against her will. what would you do?” 

“i’d go to rescue you.” 

yoongi’s shouting for the last gates to be opened and their loud squeaking was barely enough to contain the sound of yong’s heart pounding heavily against her chest. with all her will power, she waved the feeling away. 

“no, moonbyul. see? that’s what i mean. you stay here and you serve your people, you win back your land for the sake of your people. love is not weakness. love is strength. that same strength that would keep me alive while you fulfill your duties. you have to learn how to control it. that’s all.” 

"you speak in such a regal manner for someone that didn't want to reign in the first place."

before anything else could be said, yoongi approached them once again. this time face to face, as he, too, rode a horse. “i’ll go with you, my lady.” 

“you can’t abandon your post, yoongi.” the sharpness in her voice had disappeared and was now replaced with a sweet inflection. a sudden change the left the woman on her left a bit lost.

“i have a few good men who can handle the city watch while i’m gone, my lady. i’ll come back. don’t fret. your capital is always in good hands.” 

with a sweet smile shared between the two, they departed at last. the open field waited for them as the sun began to rise behind the mountains. the open road that would eventually lead them behind those hills looked like it hadn’t seen much action since the moons had first arrived to the capital. 

there were a few houses around with small farms, crops, and fruit trees. some peasants were already up and working the earth. most of them stared at the group in amazement as they trotted by, banners high in the air, men in their armors with helmets that were beginning to shine against the faint sunlight.

“yoongi, dear.” the princess said, breaking the silence at last. “we need to speak about the city, now that we have time. i saw a few things that i’d like to discuss with you.” 

the look on the lad’s face made byulyi snicker to herself. the journey would be long, but it may not feel like it in such company. 

after almost a fortnight of camping and sleeping on the ground, they finally came across a small town right next to a river. the men delighted as yong made sure to pay just enough for everyone to have a bed to sleep on. even if it was a straw-filled bed, the soldiers were thankful. 

“we’ll stay for a day. jimin’s lands aren’t too far away from here now.” namjoon told his men just as moonbyul told hers. 

jin was the one who was the happiest. his friend didn’t recall seeing him this thrilled to see a bed ever in his life. not even on their way to the capital. he’d had his own carriage and all, she supposed. he slept all day long and only woke up when namjoon brought him lunch. 

the pair had fallen asleep afterwards in the same bed, sprawled all over it, joon’s arm covering seokjin’s face, one foot hanging off of one side of the bed.

“do you want me to help you continue your training?” yoongi had asked a lost jungkook who was sitting by himself near the stables, back against the wall, with a horse trying to chew on his hair. 

he seemed a bit misplaced without namjoon. yoongi hadn’t shared many words with the youngest, but the city watch commander was never unkind. especially not to someone with puppy eyes such as jungkook. 

“really?” kook asked, hope gleaming in his eyes. 

with no time for such cuteness, yoongi threw a second sword at the lad. he caught it perfectly, taking it out of its scabbard and getting in position. 

the sparring started and two women looked at them from afar. 

“you should start teaching me again.” yong said as she took a bite out of a loaf of bread they’d acquired from the local market. 

byulyi assumed it must feel good for yongsun not be recognized everywhere she went. they were both in traveling clothing, simple bajis and baggy shirts to alleviate the afternoon heat and to help their bodies move quicker, gracefully, if a fight were to happen. or to simply help them ride most of the day, something byul had found did not delighted yong too much. 

“i should. but we ride all day and have little rest by night. we’re in no shape to train like we did back in hanseong.” 

“when then?” 

“i’m sure we’ll have some time when we reach lord jimin’s kingdom. for now, we should save our strength for the party.” 

“what party?” 

it turned out that every night the local inn held a party to celebrate whatever they could come up with. that night it was to celebrate the over a thousand men that had payed to stay in the town. byul was sure the innkeeper, who was dancing on one of the tables, had had her eyes transformed into two golden coins.

she laughed at the dancing, the music, and the noise going on around them. their army was now mixed with commonfolk who were drinking and gambling inside the building. her small group was sitting around a table in the center of the room. 

namjoon was still sleepy, yoongi was clapping his hands to the beat of the drums with a gummy smile at full display, jungkook looked like he was new to it all - which he most likely was - , and yongsun looked like death was coming for her any time soon. 

“why are they so loud for?” she complained, screaming right next to byul’s ear. even still, she was barely able to hear her. 

jin joined them soon enough as he tried to juggle six tankards of ale in both hands. most of the liquid spilled on the table but seokjin still looked eager.

“didn’t you yearn for freedom, yong? there you have it.” byulyi responded before she drank her fill. 

“i didn’t mean this. i meant a small cabin in the woods.” 

“so, a witch?” 

“don’t be stupid.” 

begrudgingly, she took the mug that was left near her. she wasn’t too keen on ale. wine was fine, it was more about being polite and drinking it during feasts. but anything other than that wasn’t exactly her perfect choice for a drink. it was highly doubtful that an inn would have orange juice though, so she gulped down a bit of ale. it was sour. she made a face. 

byulyi laughed next to her. that she could hear above all the noise. without a question, she pushed the glass to the woman. she didn’t want to drink too much. it was too easy for the alcohol to get to her and yongsun wanted anything but trouble. they were too close to the eastern lands to have something ruin it completely. 

“girl.” a man said behind her. it was as if trouble itself had been brought to the table without even ordering it. 

yong ignored him. 

“girl!” a second time. now with a hand grabbing her shoulder. immediately, she turned to face the annoying individual. 

indeed, it was a tall, bulky man that smelled like alcohol and dirt. his hair was long, poorly tied back in a red knot, and he had no weapons on him. most likely a traveler or a trader. a slave merchant if she thought the worst of him. an annoying one. 

“is there anything wrong?” 

“aye. you and your friends are in our table.” and there they were. right behind him, four other blocks that looked and smelled just like their leader. 

the entitlement in his voice made yongsun furious. her group hadn’t even realized there were men behind threatening their princess until she got up. the rest were on their feet behind her without delay. despite their numbers, the travelers didn’t step back. 

“i do not recall having been told that this table was reserved for anyone, sire. matter of fact, i paid good coin to be in here, in  _ your  _ table. maybe if you had asked nicely, we would have-” 

“alright. that’s it.” the man took yongsun by her sleeve and pulled her aside, making her stumble and crash into another table that was being used by four soldiers of the kim army.

in an instant, every man inside the inn were up, swords out. jungkook’s face had now changed from curious to enraged. it was as if they all were, standing, waiting. ready. 

“why, isn’t this a lovely evening, gentlemen.” and with a click of byulyi’s fingers, a brawl started. the attackers were big, so despite being outnumbered they still fought back hard. chairs were thrown and glasses broken to use as weapon. 

yongsun swore she saw a tooth fly right next to her as she crouched next to a wooden beam. she could see namjoon fighting the group leader alongside jungkook and yoongi. even jin was kicking an already knocked out man on the head. she wasn’t going to stay back and watch. she just needed to find something. maybe if she could go to the kitchen and get a knife. maybe if she broke a glass and took the-

“oh, no. you won’t.” 

in the bat of an eyelash, she was being pulled backwards towards a window by byulyi. 

“let me go!” 

“doesn’t this bring back good memories?” the commander shouted as she half-carried yong and pushed her out the window, herself following suit. 

tall grass softened their landing since they were on the first floor. still, yong’s ass hurt and she took her vengeance by hurling a rock at byul’s butt. 

“don’t be so childish.” 

“is that what we trained our men for? to fight drunks in cheap taverns?” 

“we trained them to defend you. that’s what they’re doing. now, shut up and come with me.” 

giving no time so yongsun could respond, byulyi jumped to her feet and walked away. evaluating her choices, yong stayed put. she could go back inside and have her first real fight. except that without a sword or a shield, she’d most likely end up with a black eye and no explanation for lord jimin. 

with no other option, she followed moonbyul. 

byul would sense her marching behind her with heavy steps, muttering to herself, angry. it amused her. that’s what she found so fascinating about kim yongsun. that gutsy, stubborn, yet intelligent spirit she had. 

she did not intend to sound corny, truly. as greasy as she could be, the thought of never having met someone like yongsun crossed her mind. she’d known women. plenty of women. and she’d cared for them and loved them well enough. but nobody had ever made her feel like kim yongsun did. 

they reached the top of a small hill. the inn and other businesses could be seen from there on one side, and the river could be seen from the other. moonlight shimmered down the water as it calmly flowed down the stream. 

byulyi sat down on the grass to appreciate the landscape better. there were mountains to follow, more woods, more trees. but in the distance, a few more days away, she could see a flag at the top of the highest tower she had ever seen in her life. 

“i love it so much out here.” she heard yongsun whisper as she took a seat right next to her as well, closer than she would allow herself to be seen next to byul in front of the army. 

“our country is beautiful. i really wish you could see more of it.” 

yong hummed in response and leaned her body against byul’s side. the latter hugged yongsun by the shoulders bringing her impossibly closer, taking in her smell as she sank her nose into blonde hair.

“i will. one day. we’ll travel all around the kingdom. we will visit every town, every city. we will meet with every innkeeper, every child, and every drunk bastard.” a laugh. a pause. “when this is all over.” 

with a kiss to the top of her head, byulyi fell backwards, taking yongsun with her as they laid on the soft meadow, looking up at the sky. it reminded her of their forest, their small fortress hidden behind many trees. maybe what yong had been looking for her entire life was right there, in front of their noses. a small place in the middle of the woods. 

“yong?” 

“hmm?” 

“you said your father kicked me out but you never said he did the same to you.” 

yongsun’s eyes traveled from the sky to the woman lying by her side. they connected with byulyi’s and it was as if she hadn’t looked away from the moon and the stars in the first place. 

that warm feeling they always got when they were around each other started in their bellies again. it was proven obvious when yong blushed, causing byul to go slightly red too. it made them giggle, like two little girls with an innocent crush on a knight. 

it felt so stupid but so right at the same time.

yong’s hand flew to caress byul’s cheek tenderly. with their eyes still locked, the princess answered. “wherever you go, i’ll go.” 

byul inhaled deeply at the words and ventured forward, capturing yong’s lips. most of the times, their kisses were sloppy and passionate all over each other’s bodies. they bit and their tongues explored everything within reach. those moments would be used to suck onto the other woman’s neck, clavicle, earlobes, shoulders, anything that was not covered with clothing. 

but this time, under the stars, with their feelings out and proud for one another, it was different. there wasn't anything more they wanted to feel but each other's lips. 

byul’s lips brushed hers softly, slowly. a mere delicate touch that soon started to move, giving each woman enough time to inhale some breath. yong couldn’t help the small moan that escaped her as byul bit her lower lip gently, just enough to make her feel the right amount of pain. 

soon enough, yong pushed against her, bringing byulyi closer with a hand at the back of her head. she changed the angle of their kiss and their noses collided with each other. it made the couple giggle into their kiss, yong working byul’s mouth against hers, licking the other woman’s lips before pulling back. 

they’d never felt something quite like it. byul had never been kissed like this before. she was sure yong hadn’t either, by the look in her eyes. yong, who spoke so strongly against desire, had the passion to kiss her like it was her last day on this earth. 

but when she looked back into yong’s eyes, all of those words about love also came rushing back to her head. for a moment, it all made sense. in her northerner head, it made sense. 

“i love you, yong.” 

the princess exhaled deeply, firmly kisses her again, teeth clashing. “shut up.” 

“i love you.” said byul again when yongsun put some space between them to get some air.

“byul.” she sighed.

she didn’t have to say it back. not yet. not if she wasn’t ready. and not in the middle of a war.

_ wherever you go, i’ll go. _

she already knew. 

morning came too quickly. byul knew so after being awakened by jin poking at her ribs with his fancy grey boots. her and yong had fallen asleep like that, under the commander’s blue-ish cape that draped over them like a warm blanket. 

“i told you  _ not  _ to touch the princess before you were married.” her friend snapped once they were back in the small town, preparing the horses to depart once again. despite the fight the night before, the man looked like he'd stepped out of a portrait.

“i didn’t touch her.”

_ well _ . 

“not like that.” 

the saddles were ready. jin’s was particularly elegant, with embedded jewelry and golden straps that went around the leather black. it had taken almost a year to finish, but the end result had been exquisite. 

the young counselor spoke as he got on his horse, making use of it. “please. if i had a won for every time i had to get you out of some pretty girl’s house i’d be the richest man in korea.”

the memories made byul grin. the action only made seokjin more irked. 

“you shouldn’t be preaching about holiness. where were you and the commander of the queensguard exactly, jin? as far as i remember, you two looked cozy sharing the same bed yesterday afternoon.” 

when jin blushed, she knew she’d won. the pair could seldom stand each other but they had still grown up together and knew one another better than anyone else. she often believed seokjin knew her better than her own father. 

that was one of the reasons she'd chosen him to be her adviser. jin wouldn't lie to her. and if she failed, instead of pretending she'd tried her best, he'd rub it in her face until she did better.

at the same time, byulyi knew him all very well too. as much as he’d tried to hide the crush since the first time he’d lied eyes on him, byulyi knew. 

gods, he hated her for that. 

“just-” he stammered. “just try to control your stupid fingers for once. for the sake of the kingdom.” 

all he got in return was a wink. 

gods, he hated her for that too. 

they were on their way before sunrise. it turned out that the travelers hadn’t been killed by yong’s men, much to byul’s disappointment. they had only been left to spend the night inside a pigs pen, gagged and tied. 

“they deserved far worse than that.” asserted byul as they galloped on the open road. they were near the mountains they’d seen last night which meant being closer to the eastern kingdom. the sooner they could rest, the better. 

the affirmation made yongsun grow curious. “what would you have done?” 

“i wouldn’t have killed them if that’s what you’re worried about. life imprisonment or forced labor in the fields would have worked for me.” 

“for a drunken fight?” the princess puffed out. 

byulyi was confused by the question. “for touching the princess.” 

“they didn’t know it was me.” 

“well, i’m sure they do now.” 

“byul-ah.” 

the new affectionate nickname yongsun had for her always got a smile from the youngest of the two. it made her calm down a bit, but her voice was still harsh. “you say love isn't weakness and i know that you want to be loved by the people. i get that. but you must also be stern whenever needed. 

i’ve seen you be benevolent and i’ve seen you be stern, but never both. if you want to lead, you must learn how to balance both.” 

“words worthy of an old maester.” 

byul’s laughter reached yongsun’s ears and roamed all the way down to her heart. 

“i can be smart too sometimes.” 

“sometimes.” she emphasized. “maybe you should reign instead of me.” 

“maybe jin should. i can feel his breath down my neck as we speak.” 

the man in question turned quickly, drawing back to side next to namjoon again. byul knew that while her friend lived, she’d never be alone. not truly. 

they reached their destination within two more days. wonju’s gates opened swiftly at the sight of the two banners in the distance, the wolf and the dragon. 

“see how easy it is?” byul heard namjoon joke in the back, teasing yoongi with a cackle. 

the city was more beautiful that it had been described. the city gates were ebony wood, well polished and shiny. the walls that surrounded the place were as short as the ones back in the capital, but they did not show any sign of being as old or damaged. every few meters there was a spire with the park banner proudly waving in the air. a bear in the middle of a green field, surrounded by swords and gold.

if there was a perfect image to describe the parks, that was the one. 

the streets inside were not as crowded and busy as the ones in the capital. byulyi saw a bakery, a few stables, a smithy, a clothing shop. it all seemed tidy enough. hells, if the japanese were to invade the kingdom they might confuse this eastern kingdom with the capital. 

people gathered around their travelling group. namjoon had ordered the army to remain at the gates and wait for further instructions as the settled their tents outside the city. they still did not know if they’d be welcomed by lord jimin. as far as byul knew, word could already be out by yong’s father. ravens could be flying around korea naming them as traitors to the kingdom in search for a war. they preferred not taking any chances. 

“the gods designated haseong as the capital but they surely favored gangwon more with more beauty.” yongsun muttered, gazing around. on the inside, the walls were finely carved with a variety of animals. there were designs of people too, children playing, men fighting, women reading, and men and women engaging in private matters. 

the carvings made yong look away as she blushed. gods be damned, they even made byulyi grow a bit flustered too. she did her best to hide it but jin noticed. it only meant a set of mockery would follow. maybe at dinner. she’d make sure to be ready with some counterattacks. 

a knight came to meet them in the middle of their ride into wonju. “my lords. my ladies. if you follow me i’ll gladly take you to meet with lord jimin.” 

they trailed after the man garbed in shiny armor. wonju looked small from afar, but once inside, the city-streets didn’t seem to have an end. maybe it was because they’d rode for weeks and all they wanted was to dismount and finally walk properly, sleep, and eat. or maybe the rumors were true and wonju was a different dimension, the one you’d walk to reach the afterlife. 

at last, the palace appeared in front of their eyes. how it was bigger than the one in haseong, yong did not know. nobody from the group had ever been to other lands, but the tales from sailors about castles that were tall enough to touch the sky in kingdoms outside their country was the only thing that came to their minds. 

the doors were banded in gold and copper, embedded with quartzs and jades whose colors appeared to change under sunlight. 

when they reached the great hall, the lord of gangwon didn’t disappoint, considering he looked as much like his city than anyone they’d seen before. 

in a wooden throne that had been gilded and decorated with feather paddings for more commodity, lord park jimin sat with his legs crossed, head resting on his right hand as he studied his guests. 

the man was wearing a white durumagi with a red belt encrusted with emeralds around his thin waist. the skirts reached his calves and a pair of black bajis with crimson linings on the sides could be seen hugging his slender legs. he wasn’t wearing a gat, instead letting his unusual pink hair brush just past his ears and down until it reached his nape.

the knight who’d guided them roared. “presenting her majesty princess yongsun of house kim, heir to korea. lady byulyi of house moon, commander of the moon army. ser namjoon of house kim, commander of the princess’s queensguard. lord seokjin of house kim, adviser for house moon. ser yoongi of house min, commander of haseong’s city watch. jungkook of house jeon, apprentice and squire for ser kim namjoon.” 

“how can he say all that without taking a proper breath of air?” yoongi asked joon in a whisper. 

“shh.” 

“my lords. my ladies. my princess. may i present to you our lord jimin of house park. lord of gangwon, ruler of wonju and protector of the province.” 

silence fell once the man was done. they all felt strangely coy under jimin’s gaze. it looked like he was still taking his time to analyze every single member of the party while none of them dared to speak. they hadn’t really thought about it.

it was all their fault. they hadn’t designated an official spokesperson, much less had they determined what they were going to say. 

yongsun groaned to herself in frustration. what type of queen was she going to be if she could not plan the smallest of meetings? when she gathered the courage to take one step forward and open her mouth, lord jimin spoke. 

“we received a raven from the king a few days ago, way before we received yours. we could say that whomever wrote it did not have the best of comments about you. i think the word traitors was brought up once or twice. i cannot seem to recall. it was quite a sullen message.” he declared, taking said letter out of one of his long sleeves. 

yong stayed frozen in her spot, not daring to even blink.

jimin took the letter and read it to himself, re-accommodating himself in his throne so one of his legs dangled from one of the arms of the chair. "other than you, your majesty, i'm afraid that you know what the punishment is for traitors to the crown."

“my lord jimin.” byulyi said as she stepped next to yong only to be shushed by the man in question. 

“that’s okay. i don’t want to hear it.” 

once again, he switched positions, sitting straight, gaze back on them. maintaining eye-contact with the princess without an ounce of effort, jimin held the king’s letter between his fingers. “i love rebels.” 

and with that, the paper was torn in pieces. 

moonbyul sighed in relief just like the rest. her hand flew to yongsun shoulder-blades for support, thinking she’d pass out due to the anticipation. when jimin saw this, he giggled. 

“my apologies. i am quite fond of adding a dramatic touch to my life. my princess.” he said, walking to yongsun and charmingly kissing the back on her hand. “this thing between you and your father has shocked the kingdom to say the least. most believe you’re attempting to overthrow him.” 

“no. i-” 

“i would say good for you. it’s time we have a woman on the throne. i can’t say i remember our last queen since she reigned over two hundred years ago. but i’d surely love to stand behind one now.” 

“my lord-” 

“what do you need? armies? weapons? gold?  _ oh _ . i do have a lot of it. i hear there aren’t too many soldiers in the capital now. we could easily take the city in a week. two at most” 

“my lord jimin.” yongsun was able to say at last. there was some strength in her voice despite being nervous. it made byulyi proud. “i thank you for your loyalty and i promise you it will be greatly rewarded.” 

the idea brought a bright smile to jimin’s lips that quickly disappeared with yong’s following words. 

“but this is nothing of the sort. we are not here to start a war against my father. we are here to ask for your aid in another war.” 

“why, if not against your father then who?” 

“the japanese. their ships have been seen in our coastlines, way too close to disregard them. my father rode to busan a few weeks ago and i have not heard back from him since then. for all we care the ships might be either gone by now, or they might have increased in number.” it was moonbyul’s turn to address the lord. 

“commander moon byulyi, i’m surprised. northerners and westerners are known to not only have different customs but also different ways of life. what is the cause of this sudden alliance?” 

yongsun beat her to respond to the query. “i have accepted moonbyul’s marriage proposal. we’re uniting our kingdoms.” 

despite knowing jimin for not even a day, the pair could bet there were few times when he looked genuinely taken aback. the idea of achieving to surprise the richest man in the country made them feel borderline arrogant. 

“i shall let the fact that i haven’t been invited to the wedding slide, my ladies.” 

“my father doesn’t even know yet, my lord.” 

“ _ oh _ .” the more they spoke, the wider jimin’s eyes got. it was as if a small child had been presented with a new toy or some delicious candy. “oh. you must forgive me, princess. this is the best thing i’ve heard in years. i love this. forbidden love." 

"it's not-" 

"you must stay. i shall throw a ball in honor of your betrothal tomorrow night. if your father didn’t celebrate this bizarre union then i will.” 

“what about-”

when jimin snapped his fingers the room was flooded with servants, men and women alike, dressed in the finest clothing byul had ever seen a steward wear. 

“please take my guests to the best bedchambers we have. i’m sure our two ladies will not mind staying together in the same room.” 

the sound of the servant’s footsteps and yong’s voice drowned jin’s “ _ no! _ ” in the distance. 

“lord jimin, we are highly appreciative of this. but may we attend more serious matters?” 

“such as?” 

“the - the invasion, of course. the japanese ships near our coast.” 

“oh. of course. of course, my princess. we shall talk about it during the feast.” 

“the feast?” 

“you see, when it comes to discussing such ugly matters as wars and death, i’d much rather do it with a glass of wine in one hand and a man’s arm in the other.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i believe this is the longest chapter i've written ever in my life. i'd say i'm sorry but i'm really not aksjdasd we are almost 10 chapters in and the war hasn't even started. i'm enjoying this way too much. as you can see, pink haired jimin is superior and i shall stand by that. gods, i love writing his character. 
> 
> anyhow, this chapter was inspired by the song "glitter and gold" by barns courtney. check it out if you can, it's wonderful. thank you so much for the support as always! i never thought this type of au would be this popular. i'm humbled by your comments and kudos. i'll try my best to keep on writing and improving this story.


	10. feast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “my lords. my ladies. let’s welcome to the center of the ballroom our two special guests.” 
> 
> no, no, no. yong dreaded anxiously.
> 
> “the reason for this feast. the union of the north and the western lands. the princess and the warrior. the future rulers of korea. lady byul from house moon and our princess and heir to the crown, yongsun from house kim.” 

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  
  


if her bedchambers in the capital were extravagant, the ones lord jimin had provided to them in wonju were lavishing. the room was enormous. a big bed with a big yellow and black curtain adorned with stitched red bears hanging over it was right in the center. there was no balcony but there were enough windows to compensate. 

the soft morning light penetrated through the spotless glass, making the golden color that covered almost everything in the room shine more brightly. there was another room connected to the main chamber. as byulyi gazed around the place with her mouth open, yongsun ventured inside the other room. 

it was a wardrobe that was almost as big as their bedroom. there were rows of clothing hanging from the walls, inside vaults and finely carved closets. instead of torches on the walls both rooms had a beautiful chandelier whose candles would be lit or put out by the four servants at their command standing outside. with only one or two rings from the bell deposited on the table next to the bed, the stewards would come in and be at their immediate disposition. 

“i love this place.” muttered moonbyul as she threw the little luggage she was carrying on the floor. 

yong turned around to see the other woman’s eye shining with glee. it brought happiness to her own heart and she could not prevent herself from running towards her betrothed, surprising her as she flung herself into her arms. 

the pair stumbled back, byulyi doing whatever she could to avoid a dreadful fall onto the floor. well, the fluffy carpet did not actually look like a bad landing place, but if they could evade appearing at the feast with bruises all over their bodies, it would be preferable. 

they landed on the bed, taking the curtains back with them. they snapped from where they was tied at the roof of the bed, covering the women completely. 

“you are going to pay that off.” byul told yongsun as they laughed together. “and you know it’s not cheap.” 

the warrior-woman could feel yongsun’s whole body tremble as she snorted in a not very lady-like manner on top of her. the action only made moonbyul chuckle not only at the adorableness of the woman but also the situation they were in. 

not too long ago they’d been in this same position, one on top of the other, wrestling on the garden’s grounds, almost hating each other. and now the princess was giggling as she straddled her, head lying right next to hers, the vibrations of her laughter travelling down moonbyul’s body like lightning.

the couple managed to come down from their ecstatic state and just lied there, on the feather-bed, holding onto each other. they often took part in exploring their bodies with hands and lips, just enough to appease their hunger, not enough to complete the deed before marriage. 

but today, after such a long journey, all they wanted was to snuggle. 

and so they did. 

byulyi gently pulled yongsun down so she could rest her whole body-weight on hers. the princess was adamant at first, something that made byul chuckle again. “you won’t crush me to death, i promise.” 

byul was soft. softer than yong ever thought she’d be under her toned muscles and flesh. as soon as she relaxed, nestling her face in the crook of the warrior’s neck, yong felt a wave of relief rush down her body. 

“do you think it’s right?” 

moonbyul’s voice startled the princess. she’d thought the other woman had fallen asleep already judging by the peaceful rise and fall of her chest. with not much energy to engage in deep political conversation, yongsun mumbled against byul’s skin. “what thing?” 

“for us to be feasting and dancing while our enemies are out there plotting against us.” 

in the time yongsun had known her partner she’d come to understand that moonbyul never stopped overthinking. it was only during the little moments they shared behind closed doors that she was busy enough to forget about the world. and even then, it would all come crashing back in a matter of time. 

sometimes she found it endearing. today, she found it tiring. ever since the moon lord had ridden south, their lives had been consumed by thoughts of war. thoughts that had no strong basis, other than byul’s father one and only statement before he departed. 

during their journey, yongsun couldn’t help but wonder if her own king father could have been right. if maybe they were blowing everything out of proportion, their response to a possible threat exaggerated. 

she’d not shared those thoughts with byul, of course. the woman believed her father with her whole soul. who would not, at the end of the day. besides, moonbyul had been trained for battle since she turned five. she saw things her own eyes didn’t, knew things her mind didn’t. and so she’d decided to put her utmost trust in the hands of a northern woman-warrior who had, somehow, managed to steal her heart. 

again, not something she’d share with byul. at least not if she wanted to live the rest of her days without being teased for it. 

with a deep sigh, this time one of exhaustion, yong answered. “we are plotting too, you know?” 

“we should be at the coast fighting them. not in here, talking and eating.” 

“sometimes talking and eating can be war too, moonbyul.” 

moonbyul chuckled again but this time, instead of bringing yongsun joy, it made her grow irk. that’s how things worked between them too, she’d come to that understanding as well. they could be making out in the morrow, declaring undying love to one another, and fist-fighting at midday. 

they balanced each other out, true. but sometimes there was a price to pay for that gift. 

“not every war is fought with swords and arrows. some wars are fought inside palaces, during meetings, at hearings. not everything is about warfare.”

“that sounds quite boring.” 

“it is but it also saves more lives. what do you think we’re doing right now? that we’re out for a stroll in the mountains?” 

despite the increasing argument, moonbyul stilled whined when yongsun sat back with her knees at each side of her hips. when byul tried to pull her back down, yong resisted. 

it made byul start feeling frustrated too. “i know what we’re doing here. i’m not an idiot. i just wished we could be doing more. i wish i could help my father more.” 

“if we were doing more our kingdom would be doomed already. we don’t have the men to fight back.” 

“i’m aware. repeating whatever i say about war doesn’t make you sound smarter.” 

before the blow could be delivered, there was a knock on the door. they were a mess. the curtains were ripped, their belongings were all over the floor, and the future rulers of korea were about to murder each other. 

another knock. and another. and another. 

“fuck.” byul cursed. “that’s jin. only he can be that annoying.” 

without granting moonbyul a proper answer, the princess got out of bed to open the door. the curtains were just kicked aside. so what if they saw the mayhem they’d made in the expensive room? there would be more hell to pay if any of them brought it up anyway. 

“my princess.” 

she wasn’t surprised when she saw that it was jin indeed who was standing at the other side. the rest were behind, with namjoon towering over the rest with that serious look on his face he always had whenever the lads around him are being troublesome. jungkook stood to his right, and yoongi next to him. 

sunlight coming from the solar at the hall fell on them and for a moment yongsun could see them from what they were. boys. young men still, just like her, who were trying their best. 

“what is it?” 

“may we have a word?” 

he asked the question as he tried to spy into the bedroom, as if attempting to check that everything was in order. with them not being all over each other, like he would put it. yong knew that seokjin was byul’s adviser. he was in charge of keeping her pure until the day she wedded.

_ a precarious fail _ , yongsun thought. but at least he’d make sure they didn’t  _ sin  _ until they were indeed married. by how things were faring at the moment, yong was sure that not touching moonbyul wouldn’t be a problem. 

“come in.” 

all she wanted was to sleep, truth be told. she’d been so comfortable in byul’s arms, it was all so perfect, until byul had opened her mouth. that was the usual case. but this time it had bothered her the most. 

jin made a face when he saw the state moonbyul was in, still lying on the bed all miserable. the lad knew better than to complain though. 

the lot jumped on the bed. jungkook was first and he laughed when yoongi jumped right after him, making him bounce on the soft mattress. if moonbyul was angry before, yong was sure she would jump off a balcony if there was one now. 

“what the hell are we going to tell lord jimin?” seokjin asked as soon as namjoon shut the door. panic could be noted in his face and voice. it worried yong. jin was usually the calm one who always knew what to say. 

“we’re going to tell him what we came to tell him.” byul spoke, now sitting on the bed. “we’re facing an invasion from the japanese and we need his army. that’s it.” 

“oh.  _ oh. _ and he’s just going to give it to us like that. here. take my gold, take my army. take my palace, my food, and my ass while you are at it.” 

that sounded quite plausible to be honest. 

“he’s going to request something in return, obviously.” namjoon’s voice boomed from behind seokjin. contrary to the young adviser, the commander was more at ease. “are we sure we are going to be able to give it to him?” 

“what do you mean? i’ll be queen one day. we shall grant him with whatever petition he has in exchange for more men.” 

“what if he wants the throne?” yoongi asked as he played with one end of the ruined curtains.

“or what if he wants to marry you, princess?” 

the idea made byulyi snort. 

“or - or what if he fucks sheeps? or goats? what the hell are we going to do then?” 

“then we will give him as many sheeps as he wants, jin. what part of her royal highness will grant lord jimin’s every single wish did you not understand?” 

jin’s face as his childhood friend spoke was worthy of a painting. with a nudge, namjoon passed the adviser a small cup full of ale. it looked like there was also a small cabinet with alcohol in it. yongsun was glad, she would make good use of it later. 

“if you all could shut up and let me speak.” yongsun commanded with a strong voice. it was a nice change from how their first meeting went back home. with yong meek and silent until she was pushed to speak. “lord jimin doesn’t only have gold and men. he has jeolla.” 

“jeolla?” yoongi asked. “i thought the ahns were the lords of jeolla.” 

“they are. but the parks have been close to the ahn house since before the kingdom even existed. lord jimin has great influence on the jeolla province.” 

“so?” moonbyul sounded drab. “jeolla is one of the poorest kingdoms in korea. they don’t have armies and they don’t have gold. they’re only fishermen and farmers.” 

“they have the tallest walls in any korean city too.” it was namjoon’s turn to speak. yongsun couldn’t be happier to hear his voice. “it is said that their city is impregnable. nobody has ever been able to climb their walls or bomb their gates.” 

"they’re fishermen, yes. it means they have ships. ships are what we need the most other than armies. is it not ships what your father saw near busan? we need jeolla and we need gangwon. both.” 

with a gentler voice, one that did belong to a princess, yongsun addressed the troubled man. “we’re not sure of lord jimin’s real intentions but he has proved to be loyal to me so far. we won’t speak ill of him under his roof. whatever needs to be discussed will be discussed tonight, like his lordship ordered. and whatever he asks for will be granted. namjoon.” 

the mention of his name took her cousin by surprise. the cup he was drinking from was discarded so he could have his full attention on the princess. 

“you will speak to lord jimin.” 

“me?” the commander asked in disbelief. he hadn’t been nervous when he entered the room, but he was now. 

“you’re the person i trust the most in this room. even more so than i trust myself. and you have a way with words too. you will have to be my official royal spokesman once i ascend to the throne. it’d be good for you to start getting a tad used to it.” 

it was a very difficult task, yong knew. not as burdensome as being the hand of the queen, true. but it was still tough speaking for the princess, giving orders and offering deals in her name. if something were to go wrong, all the blame would fall on his shoulders. 

he appeared to know so. “yongsun. i don’t really know if that would be the best idea.” 

“joon.” she said in affection, taking one of his hands into hers with care. “you were born to lead, as was i. it was not something we asked for but it is something we must fulfill. you know me the best. you won’t ever do anything you know i don’t want you to.” 

it took some time, but at last namjoon nodded in approval. squishing yong’s hands in return, the commander kissed her forehead in appreciation before stepping back, leading the others out of the room. 

seokjin still looked agitated, but now that there was an assigned leader for their small party he could at least breathe properly. jin was a scholar, just like namjoon. it came to no surprise that byul had appointed him to be her royal counselor. he was a kim too in the end and they were all known for their intellect above everything. mayhaps he was even a distant family member. 

the thoughts invading her mind distracted her enough to make her forget where she was standing. byul’s words got her out of her temporary trance. 

“you did good. namjoon is a good man. he’ll do his job just right.” 

“i’m aware. he’s my cousin.” 

“although,”  _ were we go _ . “he is better with his brain than he is with his sword.” 

the argument appalled her. with a quick turn she found herself facing moon byulyi again. the woman hadn’t switched positions during the entire unofficial meeting. it was as if she didn’t care. except yongsun knew she did. she just refused to show it to pretend she was strong and made out of stone. the idea made the princess go back to her anger towards her future wife. 

“namjoon is the best swordsman in the entire capital.” 

“a kitten could be the best swordsman in a place where most of the population is either a philosopher or illiterate.” just before yongsun charged at her, byul spoke again. “listen, i’m not saying namjoon is bad. yes, he’s good. the best in the capital, i get it. i just believe he would be a greater fit for hand of the queen, not commander of the queensguard.” 

“you said i did good. did i or not?” 

“you did.” a pause. “but you could’ve done better.” 

it wasn’t worth it. it really wasn’t worth it to yongsun at this point. with a weary groan she headed outside, refusing to answer to byul’s query as to where she was going. 

she was going to get a bath, find herself an empty room and sleep for the rest of the day. at night she’d enjoy the ball and eat until she exploded to compensate for the days of starvation during their journey. 

two out of the four servants jimin had given to the pair followed the princess faithfully. that’s when she knew she would be able to relish some of her free time in wonju. 

it wasn’t until the sun was setting in the horizon that one of the handmaidens woke her. a bathtub full of steamy water and petal flowers was ready right next to her bed. when requested to be taken to another room, one steward had been able to find one suit for the princess. it was smaller than the one her and byul were sharing, but it was still luxurious. 

even the tub was not a common one. back in hanseong they’d have normal wooden tubs that did their job well enough. this one was made out of copper with colorful towels carefully placed around it for more comfort. the water smelled delicious thanks to the roses floating in it and the scent would remain on the skin for hours. 

it was no wonder that lord jimin looked so exceptionally handsome every day. the lord took great care of himself and it was a surprise to yongsun how the man wasn’t married yet. women and men alike must’ve been lining up to wed the lord of gangwon. 

_ i was the same just a moon ago though _ . yongsun reasoned as the handmaidens helped her into her outfit for the night. 

the group had not brought fancy clothing with them. only what was needed was packed and loaded into one of the many carts pulled by the few mules they were able to steal from the stables. but everything appeared to be within reach in wonju, and yong’s servants were able to find a dress for her that fit her just perfectly. 

the skirt fell elegantly down her legs. it wasn’t as wide or as short as the ones she usually wore back in the capital. this one hugged her form just right but it still gave her room to move freely. contrary to the common red she was used to wearing, the color of the skirts was a combination of dark blue and black. the end of the skirt had the embroidered bear pattern that she was now used to seeing everywhere, except that someone had stitched a dragon right in-between the bears. 

it was something that had been done just recently and yongsun appreciate the sincerity demonstration by lord jimin. the skirts reached her hips instead of her waist but the jeogori remained the same, long enough to barely reach her belly-button. 

her abdomen was exposed and so was her cleavage. not enough to be perceived as improper in wonju, but she was sure that if she were to wear the garments back in hanseong, she’d be sent back to her chambers. the kutdong at her sleeves were a beautiful black and gold pattern that mirrored the one at the end of her gorum. 

she decided to let her hair dance freely around her shoulders. it had grown since they left hanseong and a haircut would be needed soon. with some final touches to her makeup, yongsun left the room while following the servants who would take her to the great hall. 

on her way she passed her and byul’s bedchambers. no sound was coming from the inside so she figured byulyi would be at the hall already, waiting.

not that she cared. why would she? 

the music being played inside the great hall reached her ears even before the ballroom’s doors came into view. large gatherings always made her nervous, no matter what age she was. being around too many people suffocated her to no end. it was something she’d had to struggle with since she was little, a weight she’d had to carry. she was a princess and that was something she would have to deal with for the rest of her life .

_ i came by a house last night _

_ and told the woman i am staying _

_ i said to her: "the moon is bright _

_ and my fiddles tuned for playing" _

once the doors opened, the loud music and chattering hit her at their fullest. the room was bigger than she imagined, with long tables bordering the walls so the center of the gallery was left empty for the singers, the musicians and the casual dancers. 

lord jimin was sitting in the biggest chair in the center table at the farthest end of the room. she saw yoongi with one of the musicians as he tried to learn how to play the janggu. namjoon was nearby as well, just not as close to lord jimin as she would’ve liked him to be. still, he looked composed enough. it made yongsun’s hope come back to life. 

the rest were nowhere to be seen, including moonbyul. 

they might be mad at each other, but she’d send her straight to hell if she dare leave her alone in the middle of this. in the middle of a feast to celebrate  _ their  _ betrothal. 

thankfully, at gangwon they did not have the custom of announcing the lords and ladies who arrived and left. it was seen as a distraction from the celebration at hand. whoever wanted to join was welcomed and whoever wanted to leave would make room for more guests. yongsun sent her silent gratitude to whatever was listening to her prayers. 

still, she found herself lost. she didn’t know anyone. yoongi was in the center of the room and she’d rather die than walk there. namjoon was too far away, right on the other side with too many people seated next to him. 

for a moment, yong thought about leaving. nobody would notice and lord jimin would understand. would he? the couple he had spent money and food on had decided to argue and almost break the engagement off that same night. the man would surely sympathize. 

“enjoying yourself, my lady?”

_ tell me that the night is long _

_ tell me that the moon is glowing _

_ fill my glass i'll sing a song _

_ and will start the music flowing. _

seokjin’s presence startled her. the lad had calmed down since their gathering in the morning. either that or he’d already drank his weight in wine to force his tension out of his body. he looked dapper despite the anxiety running through his veins at the moment though. 

his white duramagi had been exchanged for a purple one with a red belt going around his waist. 

miraculously, he was wearing a gat. it’d become known that jin despised the headpiece because it would always mess up his hair. it looked like he’d made an exception for the night. seeing his forehead was something new. 

“i haven’t attended a feast in a while. i seem to have forgotten myself.” 

always so chivalrous, jin offered her his arm. yongsun took it gratefully. at least she wasn’t alone anymore in the middle of such a crowd. 

“i heard about your argument with moonbyul.” he said as he walked her to her place next to jimin. 

“which one?” 

he smiled. “if anyone knows how difficult byul can be from time to time, that’s me. i know she can be too full of herself sometimes, too impatient, but she’s worried about her father right now.” 

“i left my own father behind for her and traveled for weeks only to be criticized. i won’t stand for it.” 

“her attitude and choice of words were awful, as per usual. but do understand, my lady. your father, although left behind, is still back and safe in the capital. you can go back to him any time and you know he will be there. i’m afraid that we have not heard of byul’s father since he vanished from hanseong while the place he was headed to is being targeted by invaders.

i’m not asking you to forgive her tantrum. i’m just asking you to understand where she’s coming from.” 

yongsun acknowledge his words with a  _ hmm _ . “you’re wise. are you sure you are not related to namjoon?” 

“i surely hope not. my lord.” 

they had finally reached lord jimin’s spot. a young man was seated on the table, a deck of cards in his hands. jimin had one hand on his knee as he waited for the cards to be distributed. however, when jin and yongsun arrived, the man left in a hurry with a quick flick of jimin’s wrist. 

“lord seokjin.” jimin returned the greeting with a big smile on his pink lips. “my princess. i’m so pleased to see you. for a moment i thought you were not coming to your own betrothal feast.” 

_ there goes his understanding and sympathy.  _

“apologies, my lord. i was too tired after the long journey. i’m afraid i fell asleep for longer than i expected.” 

“i see. i assume it must have been a tiresome odyssey. sleeping on the ground, tavern fights, a man daring to address you. yes, yes. jeon jungkook has made me aware of your difficulties along the way. such a lovely boy.” the pink-haired lord spoke softly, toying with one of his earrings as he gazed at the lad in question, dancing happily around yoongi. “it’s a shame that he will get that pretty face of his ruined at war.” 

“i’m sure we will do our best to protect him, my lord.” 

“do protect all of your pretty faces, my dear. you’re all lovely to look at.” with another snap of his fingers, servants appeared from the back and pulled two chairs for yong and jin to sit. 

“you’re very kind, my lord.” 

“however, i do wonder, my princess, if this celebration will end up being for you and lord seokjin instead of lady moonbyul.” 

“i-” 

“as strange as it would be for a man and a woman to marry in my lands i would still be quite happy to see the north and the western lands unite. not as fun though.” 

“i’m sorry, my lord. lady moonbyul hasn’t been able to-” 

“still asleep is she?” jimin interrupted jin with a mischievous wink. “my, princess yongsun. you’re quite spirited, aren’t you?” 

between jimin’s giggles, jin’s grumbles and her own inner self screaming with redness starting to color her cheeks, nobody noticed the woman in question standing next to jimin after being guided there by a steward. 

_ it's not yet the day, nor the day _

_ it's not yet day and it won't be 'til morning _

_ it is not yet the day, nor the day _

_ a high light is in the moon. _

“my lord jimin. my lady.” moonbyul said, voice somehow overpowering the singer’s and the instruments. “jin.” 

jimin’s face came back to life in delight. “my lady moonbyul. thank the gods. i was starting to worry we would have to celebrate a heterosexual union in wonju. please, do sit.” 

while a chair was brought and she took her place on jimin’s left, yong could not take her eyes off of her. for the first time since she’d know her, byul had decided to shed her usual male attire and instead wore clothing similar to hers. 

except the skirts weren’t as tight as yong’s and the jeogori did cover her abdomen. the colors changed too, moonbyul choosing to bear the colors of her house with pride. the sleeves of her jeogori were not long however. instead, they were so short that they reached byul’s mid-biceps. the shirt was so loose that whenever she moved, yong could see her arms, her ribs, and parts of her uncovered breasts. 

she almost forgave her. yong knew she’d done it on purpose. 

damn her. 

it was working. 

_ tell me that the night is long _

_ tell me that the moon is gleaming _

_ fill my glass, i’ll sing a song _

_ and we'll keep the music streaming _

_ until all the songs are sung. _

“i am sensing some tension.” jimin said looking to his right and left. “i love tension. is it good tension or bad tension? either way, it’s nothing that can’t be solved.” 

yong saw the other woman reach for the table to retrieve a blueberry tart. the princess knew she had said that she’d eat until her stomach was about to explode. the tables were full of lamprey pies, oranges, mashed yellow turnips, porridge and sausages. jin was now stuffing some oatcakes in his face looking like a starving child. 

the stewards came and left carrying dishes full of soups, cider, stewed onions, boar’s ribs. everything she could’ve ever wished for on the road. her eyes were on moonbyul only though. jimin was quick to notice. 

“good tension. ah. i see. i see. you two should relieve it with a dance.” the lord of gangwon then stood up, chair falling backwards only to be caught by even more servants. where they were all coming from, yong did now know. “my lords. my ladies. let’s welcome to the center of the ballroom our two special guests.” 

_ no, no, no. _ yong dreaded anxiously.

“the reason for this feast. the union of the north and the western lands. the princess and the warrior. the future rulers of korea. lady byul from house moon and our princess and heir to the crown, yongsun from house kim.” 

applause erupted from the crowd along with some whistles from the outside. the center of the great hall was now empty. even the musicians had taken a step back, the people who had been dancing now perched up on the tables, expectant. 

_ kill me. _

“my lady.” she heard moonbyul said from above. the woman had a hand extended, the look on her face indecipherable. was she still angry? was she trying to resolve things between them? it had only been half a day but yongsun felt like she’d missed her for centuries. 

allowing herself to be guided by her feelings, she took byul’s hand. jimin’s claps were heard behind as she followed moonbyul to the center of the ballroom. her hand was sweaty. she knew byul could feel it because a small reassuring squeeze came from the warrior. 

at jimin’s command, the musicians started playing again, yoongi now joining in with his janggu. it was not one singer anymore, but three. two men and one woman. 

“are you alright?” byul whispered while placing her hand on yong’s waist, bringing her closer. 

panic flowed inside the princess. one thing was not liking to be surrounded by so much people. it was something that she could get past. but being so public about their intimacy was still a thing she could not get used to. 

she knew she had to. eventually they would need to appear in more events, hand in hand, arm in arm, dance and even kiss. their wedding would be public. the bedding ceremony would be carried out right after it. still, yong couldn’t help but nervously swallow, placing a trembling hand on byulyi’s shoulder. 

“yong. it’s fine. i’m here.” this time, moonbyul’s forehead was touching hers. the words were felt more than heard. “close your eyes. we’re not out here. we’re in the forest. let’s go back to the forest.” 

with a soft nod and an intake of air, the music started, and the couple swayed from side to side. 

_ she rode through the streets of the city _

_ down from her hill on high _

_ over the winds and the steps and the cobble _

_ she rode to a woman's sigh _

_ for she was her secret treasure _

_ she was her shame and her bliss _

_ and a chain and a keep are nothing _

_ compared to a woman's kiss _

the soft ballad played out. lord jimin looked pleased with the dance and the interpretation of the sweet song. after some steps back and forth, some from side to side and some twirls, yongsun was starting to relax, a smile drawing on her lips. 

once yongsun smiled, byulyi also allowed herself to smile back. 

_ for hands of gold are always cold _

_ but a woman's hands are warm _

_ for hands of gold are always cold _

_ but a woman's hands are warm _

people started to join in after seeing how content the royal ladies were. in the distance, yong could see namjoon trying to convince a shy jungkook to ask a lady for a dance. the boy had been unyielding at first, but in the end he’d approached a sweet-looking girl of around seventeen. she’d of course said yes and soon enough, they were dancing side by side with the other couple. 

lord jimin hadn’t moved. instead, he’d decided to stay in his chair with his drink, staring at the party with adoring eyes. it wasn’t long before namjoon saw his chance to approach the lord. 

the princess glanced their way every now and then, whenever byul wasn’t blocking her view by distracting her with her smile or her starry eyes. at last, jimin was following namjoon outside to the balcony. 

“byul. come. quick.” 

“what-” 

the warrior was yanked by her jeogori's front as yongsun hurried back after the two men, hoping to go unseen with so many people dancing and singing around. the beautiful glass doors were opened, with two park guards on each end. the pair straightened up when they saw his lord walk out with namjoon trailing after him. the men didn’t flinch when they quite obviously saw yong and byul hide behind the big drapes that were blown away by the wind anyway uncovering their hiding spot. 

“i’m surprised it was you the one who asked me to discuss these matters, ser. i thought the princess would come to me herself. although, i must say, i’m not disappointed by the end result.” 

the balcony was wide enough to cover the entire second floor they were on. it was also shared by other rooms. the library, the small council meeting area, one of the many solars and other secretive suites that jimin preferred be kept a secret. 

the ocean was miles away. not far enough to take more than three days to arrive, but far enough not to be able to be seen. still, it was there. namjoon could smell the salt in the wind that blew through his long hair. he could taste the salt-water he was so unused to even beholding. only once in his life had he seen the ocean and once had been enough. he wasn’t fond of the unknown and the sea presented more mysterious territory that he’d ever dare explore. 

the tiles on the floor almost made him slip. it might be that the sea water wasn’t his imagination after all. jimin’s hand flew to the commander’s middle back for support. “careful, ser. we don’t want any casualties before the war even begins.” 

“will you join us then?” the statement made namjoon perk up in hope. jimin’s left hand was busy holding a glass of wine. the other flew to encircle joon’s arm. 

“when you first arrived to my lovely city, i believed the time for the queens to rise back to power had arrived after so long. it was exciting. the last time queens reigned, korea had some of its most fruitful years in centuries. it is said the queens even had dragons. real dragons. we would have the men we needed, the weaponry, the claim. we would be able to win effortlessly. but this thing, ser. this thing with the japanese. i’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to defeat them even with my army.” with a defeated sigh, jimin gulped down some of the red wine he loved so much. “and i always try to be on the winning side.” 

“what would you do then? join the japanese forces?” 

“oh, gods. no. do you think i’m as terrible as the northern songs make me out to be? no. not the japanese. i’d go to china, of course, with my court and my army. the productive smallfolk would be able to accompany us, surely.” 

“you would flee like a coward?” 

the comment did not seem to sit well with the lord hence he quickly untangled himself from the commander’s side. “i am trying to protect my people from a war we cannot win. despite the rumors about my profligate life i’ll have you know that i do care about my people. from the highest lord to the most ignorant smallfolk. i have heard what the japanese do to those they capture. i will not have my people be slaughtered like pigs.” 

_ he’s losing him, _ yongsun thought worriedly. she come see the same uncertainty in byul’s features. _ at least she does care.  _

“they won’t have to face that end if we unite our force. what if the enemy never leaves our country? they will crown themselves kings and bring down all of our ancient houses. you and your people will never be able to come back.” 

“we will have our lives.” 

“is life worth living if your home, your roots, have been taken away from you? your ancient house and name will disappear like nothing.” the words made jimin look like he was considering it. that was good enough for yongsun at this point. “we can give you land. we can give you titles. castles. a place at court.” 

“i don’t want your gifts. in case you haven’t noticed i already have everything, ser. i’m not a beggar.” 

“what would you wish for then? truly?” 

“the safety of my people. that’s all.” another sip of red wine was needed to keep going. the glass was almost empty by then. “and mine, of course. i am not married and i don’t believe i will be any time soon. i would need to make sure to live long enough to produce an heir.” 

“if i promised you that you would survive a war i would be lying to you, i’m afraid. allies don’t lie to each other.” 

_ and to think namjoon was insecure of his speech skills. _

“but we can give you the most men and the most solid stronghold. if it were to fall, you’d have the most horses alongside the best cavalry. we’d also bestow you with our most beautiful lady in the capital. the one with the highest title. grace as fine as her intellect.” 

“i thought the princess was getting married already.” jimin jested. now that his glass was truly empty his hands found themselves empty and itchy. without another option, he circled joon’s strong arm again. 

_ “if he asks for your hand i will have to kill him.”  _

_ “byul-ah. shhh.” _

“besides, ser. if you gave me all your cavalry, what would you fight with?” 

“our archers are extremely good.” 

“bows and arrows won’t win a war, i’m afraid. you can have your cavalry. i will take the stronghold. if anything were to go wrong, i want my people to be taken out of gangwon immediately. i don’t care if your men are being massacred. they will take my smallfolk to safety up to the north.” 

“i’m sure we can arrange something with lady moonbyul.” 

“that’s what i like to hear.” the lord had gone back to being his care-free person now that he was being tended to. it was like seeing a puppy go back to being playful after he'd tried to bite your nose off. “now, this stronghold you mentioned. i assume you are not talking about the north.” 

“the north is strong, yes. but even the moon lands have been taken before. no. i’m speaking of jeolla.” 

“oh. i see where this is going. you don’t only want my army involved. you want my friends too.” 

“we’re trying to unite as many kingdoms as we can. jeolla would certainly be a remarkable ally. they have walls and ships to spare.” 

“yes, but they don’t have an army. jeolla is known for never getting involved in warfare. why do you think they’ve survived for so long? why do you think they would follow me into a war now? out of loyalty?” 

namjoon ran his hand up his neck and down his face. he wasn’t frustrated, no. it took a lot to get a man like joon to become exasperated. it was that kim patience the gods had blessed the family with. it seemed like he was just doing it to get the sand off of his hair. 

“let’s say you’re a soldier, my lord. the best in your land. the king comes into your house and demands you go to war for him out of loyalty. then your father comes in and demands you to follow him into war out of honor for the family. lastly, the emperor of china comes in and demands you to follow him into war out of gold. who would you follow?” 

the silence that should’ve surrounded them was taken over by the new song that had just started playing inside. it gave joon enough distraction while jimin pondered the question.

ultimately, something dawned in jimin’s mind. his eyes sparkled and a frown rapidly disappeared to be replaced with that ear-to-ear smile the lord always had on. 

“i’d follow the man who pays me.” 

“yes.” joon agreed. “and pay them you will.” 

at the end of the feast there were people lying on the halls. some were still awake, others weren’t. every type of sound namjoon ever imagined to exist was coming out of every room he walked by. voices talking, a man cursing, another man screaming over winning a bet, a woman laughing, a man moaning, and a woman crying. 

it all accompanied him until he reached the area they were staying in. joon checked on jungkook first, who was already in bed, well tucked in and with saliva running down his chin. then he passed yoongi’s chambers. the man was still awake. he could hear him trying to play a piri as softly as possible. 

jin was next. he didn’t seem to be anywhere near his room. a strange sense of jealousy invaded namjoon at the mere thought of seokjin mayhaps having been one of the many voices or sounds he heard as he passed the other accommodations. 

he’d make sure to ask him about it in the morrow. for now, he had a message to deliver. it appeared like the princess had decided to move back in with moonbyul, since she was the one to answer the door after a few knocks. 

his cousin looked drowsy. he was sure he’d wakened her and would apologize for it later. byul’s low snores were heard from the bed. the princess was wearing one of byulyi’s long jeogoris, he noticed. it’d be something he would use to tease seokjin later, maybe exaggerating a few things just to rile him up a bit. 

“joon?” 

“jimin acceded, in case you missed something from our conversation. but he has a condition. we will ride to the ocean in the morrow. if he sees more than ten japanese ships, he will join us.” 

“and if there are less than ten?” 

namjoon shrugged. he didn’t really want to say it out loud. if there were less than ten, jimin would turn back to wonju and wouldn’t join in the alliance. but if there were indeed less than ten, it’d mean there was no real threat, but still a threat. it was a dangerous game to play. 

“i see. i’ll see you in the morrow then.” 

“he also wants a girl to marry. or a boy. or i think it was an  _ and _ .” 

“yes. yes. any woman in the capital would die to wed park jimin. why would it be an issue?” 

“well, he wants to marry your sister.” 

waking up early in the morning was hard enough with the little sleep they had all had. somehow, lord jimin was as energetic as always. they rode out the gates after they broke their fast with a hundred men guarding the lordling. this time around, the rebel party, like jimin had taken a like to calling them, traveled in comfort. 

the horses were well saddled, jimin made sure to bring enough squires to make sure of that. every person who wanted a carriage needed only ask for it. seokjin was the first to raise his hand when jimin brought it up at the table. 

namjoon had decided to ride a horse while jungkook and yoongi were happy to ride one of the hay carts in the back. lord jimin had his own gilded carriage pulled by four beautiful white, strong horses. right behind his, yong and byul’s carriage followed. for a quick moment, joon had decided to join them and interrupt their riddle game. 

“are you insane?” yongsun had started. “yonghee will cut him into tiny pieces and cook him for dinner.” 

“i know. i know.” 

“besides she is not even - you know.” 

“legitimate. yes, i’m aware of your half-sister’s status in your family.” 

“your sister is a bastard? that’s wonderful. i always wanted to be a bastard myself. the moon bastard. the northern bastard. the grey bastard.” 

“byul-ah. shush.” 

namjoon didn’t seem to care for his cousin's attempt at silencing the moon warrior. “huh. she’s a pirate too.” 

“namjoon, stop. byul, she is not a pirate. she’s a sailor.” 

“a bastard pirate?” byul was almost throwing herself to the carriage’s flooring at that point. it made yongsun roll her eyes in annoyance. 

“do you want to marry her now or what?” 

a low chuckle came from the other woman. she hesitated a bit longer than yongsun liked. “i want to marry you, of course.” 

“i think he’s just bluffing.” joon continued after the greasy interruption. “but we have to keep our eyes open. if we win this whole thing somehow and he survives then we must find a way to tell your sister.” 

“you do know that if the japanese don’t kill us then she will, correct?” 

“i know. i’m not quite sure which one i dread the most.” 

it took them a little bit longer to reach the coastline than expected due to lord jimin not being accustomed to such travels. they’d stop every now and then so the lord could stretch his legs, breathe fresh air and eat some fresh fruit. 

it would’ve been a nice expedition if they weren’t on the verge of an invasion, yongsun figured. the landscape was beautiful to distract her from such thoughts during both, night and day. it reminded her of the mountains at the inn where moonbyul had first professed her love to her. 

ever since, it would be the last thing she’d hear before she went to sleep and the first thing she’d hear when she woke. it made her blush when she did it as they camped for the three nights they were in the wonju road with everyone surrounding them. 

byul knew how much it embarrassed yongsun, so she did it more often. there was nothing like seeing the princess choke on her dinner as byulyi whispered in her ear how much she loved her, circling her waist with one arm. even jimin loved it. 

“forbidden love.” he’d whispered every time he passed right by them. 

it’s wasn’t even that, they knew. but the pair still allowed the pink-haired man to believe they were some sort of outlaw lesbians. byulyi liked the idea more than she admitted. 

they reached the coastline on the fourth day. it took them until midday to reach the top of the tallest hill to gaze upon the open ocean. they’d had to leave the horses and the carriages behind. yong’s leg muscles pulsed and cramped. byulyi had to carry her on her back for the last few steps they had to take to get to the top. 

it was cloudy and the sea looked as crystal clear as ever. there were no small boats in sight nor fishermen trying to collect their daily buckets of shrimp. the wind was so strong that it almost sent yongsun tumbling down the hill. 

in that moment namjoon really did feel the salt and sand entering his eyes. he complained about it a few times. he’d decided he disliked the ocean except for the tiny crabs walking around his feet. 

“i don’t see a single ship anywhere.” jimin said breaking the silence. “not even a merchant ship. which is a shame, by the way. i’m expecting new fabrics from china.” 

“byul-ah,” yong whispered. “where are they?” 

“i-” the commander started but couldn’t finish. had her father lied to her? if he hadn’t ridden to busan to face an invasion, where was he? they got the closest they could to busan. if there were enemy ships near the coastal city, they should be visible by-

“byul.” seokjin half-yelled, half-breathed from the far left. 

in the distance, behind the clouds and the mist, the stationed ships came into view. 

yong counted. 

“these aren’t the ships my father mentioned. these are larger.” 

more than ten. 

“maybe these are not meant for busan. perhaps they won’t start their invasion there.” namjoon said, turning to jimin. “maybe they plan on marching into the entire east coast first.” 

it was hard to notice but jimin seemed to be trembling a bit. it might have been just the wind, that is what he’d later tell during his small council meeting. or it might truly be the fear that coursed through his being as he at least witnessed what he’d been told about for the last few days. 

“jungkook, dear.” jimin called, finally being able to speak. “please, do me a favor and write to jeolla for me. we brought some ravens along with us in the carts. please address it to the lord of jeolla only or to his daughter, ahn hyejin. tell them there are two hundred japanese ships in our eastern coast and that we just _might_ require their assistance.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and i said this chapter would be short. why do i lie to myself fasjdsd anyway, finally they saw the ships! i was starting to believe they were only a myth myself. i hope you liked this chapter. there is nothing like writing fun balls and moonsun fights. 
> 
> if anyone is interested, the first song is níl sé'n lá by celtic woman and the one moonsun dance to is hands of gold by ed sheeran (originally from asoiaf). 
> 
> again, thank you so much for your continuous support. i never thought this fic would be as popular as it is. i didnt think aus were this loved. thank you for your kudos and comments, it makes me want to keep on doing my best with this story. i know i say the say in almost every chapter but i'm truly humbled. thank you <3


	11. salt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “what i assume you’re suggesting we do is treason.” 
> 
> “i’m not only suggesting it. i say jeolla should bend the knee to princess yongsun and join her in battle.” 

**AHN HYEJIN**

  
  


“we should start arming our men. start building ships. what are we waiting for?” 

“we can’t do anything without the king’s orders. you know that.” 

“the king has a daughter and the daughter has rebelled against him. word is the princess is rallying an army to fight the japanese and then depose her father.” 

“what i assume you’re suggesting we do is treason.” 

“i’m not only suggesting it. i say jeolla should bend the knee to princess yongsun and join her in battle.” 

“the japanese army is too vast. even if she has more men, they still won’t be enough. after she loses, the king will come for our heads.” 

“then we should help her not lose.” 

“we don’t have enough ships.” 

the different voices from the men surrounding her were starting to give her a headache. the trip she’d had to make all the way to iksan, not as far from her home in joenju but not as close as she’d like, had been tiring enough already. 

since her father had ridden to busan after lord moon’s calling, hyejin had been left with no other choice but to act like the lady of jeolla until his return. it was a dull job. if it wasn’t a council meeting then it was hearings, and if it wasn’t hearings it was inspections. 

this time she’d been swept away from her horse as soon as she’d crossed the iksan gates and taken to the town’s biggest fort. the meeting had begun at once, men gathering around a creaky table with cups of tea brought by the few servants that had already turned cold.

the lesser lords, generals, and commanders around her were old men. some with beards, some balding, others barely able to make their voices be heard on top of others. nevertheless they still did their best to shout their opinions on the matter as loud as they possibly could. why they were not able to shut up, hyejin did not know. 

she also ignored why her father had many useless loud, old men at his disposal. wisdom and experience was important, that hyejin acknowledged, but passing said knowledge and abilities to a younger and stronger generation was as relevant as well to her. 

but most people in jeolla would only be taught basic survival skills. they would learn, harvest, marry, and die. the most talented ones would grow up to be fishermen. they’d learn how to sail and would even become traders that would travel around the world in search for goods, wealthy silks and delicious foods. 

but that was mostly reserved for the sons of jeolla’s elite. the people would live a calm, steady life, true. but also a boring one without ever peeking at what was beyond the tall walls that had kept them safe for so long but that had also kept them isolated from the rest of the kingdom. 

her province was the main producer of food in korea. hyejin was well aware of it. her people would grow their crops, catch their fish, make their wine. but most of it would be tossed into carts that came from the capital once every three months and would be taken away. 

they would all get paid for it. just not as much as they should. it was still enough for the smallfolk to get by though, so they would continue to do it until they couldn’t work anymore. their children would take on the job once the eldery were not fit for labor any longer. and so the cycle would repeat itself over and over again for centuries to come. 

it infuriated hyejin to no end. 

despite being the reason why the kingdom had food in their platters, why the kims, the moons, the parks, and all the rest were able to have their fancy little feasts in their stone palaces cooked and served by their badly paid servants, not one king had ever visited their lands since the kingdom of korea had been established. 

and now that the kingdom was in great danger, her father had ran out their impenetrable walls to help one of those rich lordlings that had always looked down upon them. 

her jaw clenched at the thought. taehyung noticed. 

“it’ll be over soon. they’ll get tired or lose their voices eventually.” the young man reassured her in a whisper. 

the woman was only able to nod. 

the pair were the same age. hyejin was born first though, and for that she’d always mock him. they met when taehyung was brought from the capital to be fostered by the ahns. with him being the head of the house, his grandparents wanted him to learn not only how to be a knight or a scholar, but also how to develop basic-life skills to never depend on servants and squires. 

it’d worked out well enough in the end. after spending five years under the care of the ahns while in jeolla territory, kim taehyung had been called back to the capital to reunite with his family and the rest of the nobility. 

after spending so many years in the company of free-spirited hyejin and in jeolla’s simple life, however, the boy of twelve wasn’t able to stand the regal life for too long. under the pretense of needing more time to learn back in the coastline province he was able to ride back.

_ “i have two families now _ ,” he liked to say whenever questioned about his decision.  _ “and i love them both dearly.” _

now a man, tae only left the province when necessary to visit his family in haseong. hyejin knew he missed them dearly sometimes. he’d tell her so during the cold nights of winter as they huddled near the fireplace in tae’s chambers. the bond between him and hyejin resembled one of siblings.

it wasn’t too long until lord ahn knighted tae. with the title he had then asked the kim lord to watch his daughter while he was gone in busan, acting like the commander of her bodyguard crew. 

tae accepted without hesitation. 

after some time passed, the elders still hadn’t become silent. when one tipped his glass over and spilled the tea over the table, hyejin broke. 

“my lords.” the lady of jeolla said heatedly. “i’m afraid this conversation is taking us nowhere. yes, the kingdom is under siege. no, the king hasn’t given us any direct orders. yes, we will start building ships nonetheless to counter-attack any threat to jeolla and jeolla only. no, we will not join forces with the rebel princess.” 

the room fell silent in an instant. 

“anything else?” 

“my lady, if i may-” 

“you may if you say it quickly, lord lee.” 

the oldest of the lot spoke. voice raspy and tired as he did so. hyejin was sure he had some white hair stuck between his teeth from that long beard he’d decided to grow. “i do not mean to speak treacherously. howbeit, the princess has proven to be different from her father plenty of times. especially during these times of war. she’s going against everything she was taught to defend the kingdom.” 

“to defend her city that is. no word has reached jeolla thus far. we know she doesn’t intend to protect us from this war. besides, she’s no soldier. she doesn’t know a thing about war.” 

“with your permission, my lady ahn. she was in plans of marriage with commander lady moon byul. if they are still together, which i greatly suspect, the moons are the best warriors in our land.” 

“a moon was the one who took my father away. taking a lord away from his province is not the best strategy if you ask me. especially during a time of war.” 

“i do believe you’ve proven yourself very capable of being the lady of jeolla while he’s been away.” taehyung said with affection. as the rest of the elders stared at him in shock at the lack of respect, he then added, “my lady.” 

“i’m not a warrior like my father.” hyejin mumbled only for him to hear. noticing she’d let her guard down, the woman went back to her ruler persona. “neither princess yongsun nor lady moonbyul have said a word to us about this. they have not come here. they have not proven to us that they want to defend the kingdom. i will not sacrifice my people to defend those who will not defend us.” 

“my lady-” 

“is there anything else? if there isn’t then excuse me, my lords.” 

before the small council could stand up to see ahn hyejin to the door, she’d already thrown the door open and walked out. the fort, while the biggest in iksan, was too cramped for her own liking. it was ancient, that’s the only reason it was so highly respected. but the walls were rotting away, the wood falling off, the roof leaking. 

even the smell was insufferable. it smelt like the woods. hyejin needed to smell salt. the salty air the ocean brought with it. the same one she’d breathed since she’d been born. 

finding a rock to sit outside on a hill, hyejin finally gave herself the chance to relax. the sea was far away but still visible. the air she’d been looking for filling her lungs deliciously. 

“i would say that went well.” 

tae appeared from behind. there weren’t other comfortable rocks around, so the lad took a seat next to his childhood friend on the grassy field. his statement was quickly met with a blow to his shoulder. 

“ouch! i thought you weren’t a warrior.” 

“they were all so irritating.” 

“ _ they _ . exactly. don’t take it all out on me only.” 

“you big baby.” hyejin said, not without a low giggle of endearment. 

the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks far away reached their ears. for a moment, the pair remained quiet and only listened. it was peaceful. it was home. 

“i did mean it, you know? i truly believe you’ve been doing a really good job lately.” 

with a sigh, hyejin answered, “thank you. i just want my father to come back already. i want all of this to be over.” 

“do you miss sailing?” 

_ gods, yes i do.  _

ahn hyejin had lived more years in the ocean than she had on land. that’s one of the reasons she wasn’t exactly keen on spending so much of her precious time at shore. the petty old lords didn’t help too much to her already growing impatience over being away from the water for too long either.

“i miss the ocean.” 

“and yet you shouldn’t navigate while the japanese ships are still out there. i saw a few sail past us a few nights back. they’re observing us.” 

“let them come. they won’t be able to get through our gates.” 

“hyejin-ah.” tae started pleading. his words were met with hyejin rummaging into one of the bags they brought along with them during their journey and taking a waterskin out. the wine had gone lukewarm by that time. hyejin still drank it. “they won’t get past our gates but they will get past every single one in korea.” 

“then their ancestors should’ve built taller walls. mine did know what they were doing. do you think it would be fair that my people’s lives should be put in danger just because of the bad decisions of some centuries-long dead builders?” 

“should those in the kingdom pay for the same mistake of some centuries-long dead builders? jeolla. gangwon. hangseon. hwanghae. hamgyong. pyongyang. they are all your same people.” 

“tae. if you truly wish to go and protect your family in the capital i won’t blame you. you have my leave to go.” 

“i want to protect both of my families here and in hanseong. for now, i think i have more of a chance of protecting the realm from here.” 

the statement roused hyejin’s curiosity well enough. with another sip from the waterskin and a frown, she ventured. “do tell. how would you do that?” 

it was all the motivation taehyung needed. in excitement, the lad pushed himself up to block hyejin’s view of the far-away sea. “the enemy has plenty of ships. we already know that. how many? i’m not sure, but many. i do believe those ships only carry soldiers. but-” 

“if they’re plenty of ships there must be plenty of soldiers. more than the ones we have.” 

“ _ but _ they don’t have ships for supplies or reinforcements. they are only either scouts or military-carrying vessels.” 

hyejin nodded along but seemed a bit lost still. with a groan, tae continued. “we can’t do anything about their men landing now. it’s too late. but we can get ready for when the rest of their boats carrying weapons, food, and more men begin to arrive.” 

the proposition finally made sense in hyejin’s mind. the idea of being back in the ocean perked her spirits up for a moment before a cruel reality came rushing back. 

“we don’t have enough ships, tae.” 

“oh, but we do.” 

“no, we don’t.” 

“oooh, we do.” 

when the knight got up and started walking downhill and into the forest, hyejin didn’t have much of a choice but to follow him. it was almost midday, the sun was flaring hot in the sky but the pair were used to the humid conditions. even so, hyejin could smell her own sweat and dirt and all she wanted was to go back to the narrow palace and bathe. 

the walk was taking too long. hyejin was about to complain when the soil started to go from dirt to sand. the promise of seeing her precious waves crash on the shore made her keep up with the march. it was easy enough since she was wearing only a pair of long, loose breeches that reached her ankles. the jeogori was no different, except it didn’t have sleeves and the white was already turning grey. 

sweat ran down her brow and nape, black, short hair tied back. her makeup almost gone after the long journey. 

her shoes had been long discarded back on the hill. walking barefoot made her feel freer, like she was at last one with nature. tae had no problem moving swiftly, considering that he was wearing a brass-scale armor with a purple coat underneath, pants thicker than hers and a pair of boots. 

any other knight would’ve already melted under the unforgiving sun. but not tae. the lad always pushed forward no matter what. it was odd for her to see him tired, even if he was. it was odd for her to see him angry, even if he was. always good, old sweet taehyung that she loved so dearly. 

_ loved _ . now it was turning into loathing as they stopped way before they could reach the beach. 

“where are we going?” asked hyejin past her point of exasperation. it had been a long day and it wasn’t even midday. she just wanted to go back home to jeonju. even the hard, horrible seat made out of stone that her father loved calling a throne was starting to become a longing memory to her. 

tae didn’t answer. the lad reached out to get some bushes out of the way and behind them, hyejin could finally see. 

trees had been chopped down but there was not empty space in sight. all she could see were rows of ships, after ships, after ships. all different. all well made. 

the few men around that were polishing the final details on the war vessels stopped for a short time only to greet ser taehyung before going back to work. there were so many boats around that hyejin had to take a moment to explore every single detail of one before moving to the next. 

giant pannoseoks, warships, scouting boats, bigeodos, geomseons. 

and turtle ships. 

“are those-” 

“just like grandfather designed them. just like you always wanted them.” 

the defense galleys towered above them, almost as tall as the trees left standing. the decks and the sides were completely covered. whoever was inside would be protected from enemy fire and arrows. hyejin could not see the roof very well from where she was standing, so with the help of one of the ship-builders, she climbed a nearby ladder and saw. 

the roof of the boats were covered in spikes. anything or anyone who dared step on them would be pierced through immediately. 

“the japanese navy usually boards ships to slaughter the ones inside. it’s their main attack. they won’t be able to do that with these.” tae explained from where he was still standing. 

hyejin could only nod, mouth hanging open at the sight. there was iron covering the roof and it went down the front and back. no sword nor arrow would be able to cut through. oars came out from small panels on both sides of the ship. the wooden masts were attached to the iron roof and from them, beautiful creamy-like colored sails hung proudly. 

the finishing element was at the front. the face of a dragon beautifully carved in front of every single ship, as if emerging in rage from every ship, ready to fire the cannons transported inside. they all had dragons to represent the ruling house except for two.

the largest warship and the widest turtle ship in sight. 

those two had lions. 

“those are yours to command.” 

hyejin forgot all about her tiredness after that. the lady of jeolla spent the rest of the day examining the ships, even after the workers and tae had walked back to town. when it got dark, taehyung had no other choice but to go fetch hyejin back. the young knight had to drag his lady out of the woods that night. 

the following days were spent with hyejin looking bored during meetings, only to run out as soon as it was over so she could head into the forest. the elders could only shake their heads in disappointment but neither dared stop her. nobody stopped a lion. 

it was on the fourth day that taehyung came hurrying into the woods to look for her. he’d let her be lately. he knew where she was going to be at. he specially knew that she’d taken a liking to sleeping inside the boats some nights. mosquitos would bite her and the heat would damage her skin, but it did not matter to hyejin. she felt the most at home inside the boats. 

“hyejin!” the knight called out before reaching their hiding spot. he knew why he’d chosen this place instead of jeonju. iksan was scarcely populated, most of its inhabitants monks or the old that came to the village to spend their last years in peace. 

nobody would find them here. nobody, not even people in their own land, would know they were being built.

hyejin was whistling. tae could hear her from afar. an old sailor song, he figured. one her father had taught her during one of their voyages. 

“hyejin!” 

there were no workers around. it was only the black-haired lady of jeolla sitting on a wooden rail from one of their lion-faced ships. 

“tae.” the girl greeted before she went back to whistling happily. she was eating her breakfast there. tae could see the plate of fruit, oats, and juice from where he stood. 

with no time for courteseys, taehyung took a piece of paper out of his pocket. it had the royal stamp of a bear. hyejin recognized it fast. she didn’t have to be near to see it was jimin’s sigil. 

“what does it say?” she asked hastily, letting down a ladder to get down as soon as possible. 

despite gasping for air after all the running he’d done, tae tried his best to explain everything as best as possible. 

“there are 200 japanese ships in view.” 

“200?” she questioned in shock, shaky hands holding the letter.

“as far as he could count. there could be more. he wasn’t even in busan. he counted them all the way from the gangwon coast.” 

“has- has he formed an alliance with the princess?” 

“you know what jimin is like. always going against what’s established.” tae wheezed out. one of his hands flew to hold onto his ribs. they were starting to hurt from all the running. “we both knew it wasn’t long until he joined the rebellion.” 

“we did. we just didn’t know he would ask us to join in as well.” 

“hyejin, please. we have more than enough ships to spare. we must help them.” 

“these ships are to protect jeolla.” 

“jeolla is already protected. you said it yourself. the enemy will never be able to get past these gates. i built these ships to defend the kingdom, not just jeolla.” 

there were so many emotions running in hyejin’s brain that she was barely able to tell one apart from the other. the woman walked back and forth, letter still in her hand. thinking. thinking. 

“hyejin, many innocents will die. i know you have never been outside these walls but the people out there are as good as the ones here. they deserve our help.” 

“tell them-” the lady of jeolla finally said as she stood still. “tell them that we will help them.” 

“thank you.” 

“if they send my father back. tell them to send for my lord father. once he’s in jeolla i will take command of one of the ships and he will take the other.” 

“hyejin-” 

“my father is in busan.” there were tears forming in her eyes while speaking. as hard as she tried to fight back, one came running down her cheek. “that’s where they will strike first. he took no men. i’m sure the moon lord doesn’t have enough men either. my father will not die just because a moon called for his banners. they were not his to call.” 

with a deep sigh, taehyung nodded. it was better than nothing. it was better than a straight up  _ no  _ from hyejin. if it was her father she wanted, he was sure the princess would concede it just to have the ships on her side. besides, hyejin was right. there was no one else who was better than her at sailing than her own father. no better warrior. 

she wasn’t a warrior. she’d said so. hyejin could sail, not fight. they needed him for than tae cared toa dmit.

“i will. i will write to jimin for us to meet in sangju.” 

“thank you, tae.” hyejin whispered her answer in relief. “i wish i could go with you.” 

“there must always be an ahn in jeolla.” his purple cape swooped behind him, revealing the armor underneath, his most treasured sword with its hilt covered in rubies hanging from his hip. in that moment, he looked like the most gallant knight hyejin had ever seen. “you stay. i’ll be back as soon as i can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahn hyejin!! finally! i've been waiting to write captain and (as byul would put it) badass pirate ahn hyejin. also, no word to describe tae better than gallant knight if you ask me. anyhow. shorter chapter, i apologize. i want to take as much time as i can do introduce people and let them develop into grey character so they have flaws and virtues. i want to make them seems as human as possible. fear, doubts, resentment, happiness, everything. 
> 
> i thank you for following this story. i truly appreciate it. nothing makes me happier than writing it. i'm very happy you all are liking it as well. all kudos and comments are welcomed as always.


	12. river

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “i don’t believe the four heavenly kings are the least bothered by us kissing in the dark.” the assurance made yong flush a bit. “but if they were, i’d stop praying to them.” 
> 
> “i wouldn’t want to make you give up on your family’s religion.” 
> 
> “i’m not religious. i’d fight these four only to be able to kiss you one last time.” 

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  


green fields opened to view the more they rode. for days her eyes had seen nothing else but grass, trees, and hills. lord jimin’s fancy carriages had been left behind. they would only slow them down since they were so heavy with gold and furniture. the carts were left behind too, instead they decided to carry hay for the horses in bags, along with the rest of their supplies. 

her party was a day away from wonju when jimin received word about jeolla. lady of jeolla’s trusted spokesperson wished to have a word with the princess, as per his lady’s instructions. or so the letter read. she was only able to glance at it once because jimin kept it to himself. saved in one of his many pockets. 

and so, jimin had ordered for twenty of his men to accompany him. byul had done the same with her northerners. yongsun didn’t want a whole army to ride behind her. she believed they had more importance in the city of gangwon, where they would protect the smallfolk if anything were to go wrong. namjoon had none of it in the end and ordered forty men to ride beside the princess. 

yong hadn’t talked to him in two days. it was childish. or so she’d thought until byulyi heard about it one afternoon as they crossed the countryside on their horses. 

_ i understand you for getting upset. people should learn how to follow your orders, even if they don’t make any sense.  _

she’d decided to leave the last bit out for byul’s sake, instead choosing to hear the first part of the message. yongsun’s life was of high value, especially during this time of war. any man would burn a house with a family inside in order to protect her. 

yong wasn’t sure if she liked the idea. 

one night, as the rest slept and namjoon kept watch, the young princess came up to him in the dark. when she spoke, the commander of the queensguard almost jumped in panic. 

“what?” joon questioned her after he’d calmed down. there was no fire, but yong could see his frightened face thanks to the moonlight. it made her laugh internally.

_ he’s just a boy. and i’m just a girl still. _

“i-” yong started, not sure of what she’d say first. “i shouldn’t have acted the way i did. it was stupid of me.” 

“yes, well. i should’ve followed your orders.” 

“yes, you should have.” 

“well, that’s comforting.” 

“joon.” the name was said in a whisper. “i’m your blood but i’m also your princess. if you can’t show me respect, how will i make others respect me?” 

“people already respect you.” 

“some do. half of korea thinks of me as a hero and the other half a traitor.”

joon said nothing. there was nothing that could be said. it was the truth, they both knew. with a heavy sigh, the boy nodded before realizing that she could barely see him. 

“i’m sorry. if i don’t agree with something you command i’ll tell you in secret. the rest don’t need to hear me defy you.” 

“thank you.” there was some relief running through yong’s mind. she didn’t even realize how much stress the whole ordeal had caused her. it seemed like her cousin was able to hear it in her voice too.

“you shouldn’t worry. the people will follow you. they will rally at your side once the truth about the invasion reaches every corner of the kingdom.” 

“what if - what if i want them to rally at my father’s side instead of mine?” 

the question made namjoon laugh as silently as he could. when yongsun didn’t continue, he realized she was being serious. “yong, your father wouldn't move from his seat even if the japanese were at his doorstep. you know it. he doesn’t know how to fight. he doesn’t know how to plan a war.” 

“and i do?” 

“yes.” joon said with ease. quickly. as if the question was absurd. running a hand through his hair, the lad continued. “you know how to defend yourself. you’ve been at our war counsels. you led us here. you should stop doubting your leadership too much. doubt yourself and we’re all dead.” 

yong could only nod. 

“besides, we also have your northern acquisition. you’re the brains, she’s the muscle. sometimes it’s the other way around. that’s the combination that will lead us to either victory or defeat, depending on whether you’re mad at her or madly in love with her with the japanese come.” 

after days of riding to their meeting point in sangju, yongsun could barely feel her legs and backside anymore. they had food and they had water. but they didn’t have the luxury to walk to their destination. they needed to move fast, they needed the horses. but at that point, yongsun wished she could just fly. 

“like a dragon?” byul said as she trotted her horse next to hers. 

had she said that out loud?

was she too tired to even distinguish between thoughts and words? 

byulyi’s intriguing stare wouldn’t leave her. sometimes it annoyed her. sometimes it charmed her. today, it was the former. 

“dragons are gone.” was her only answer. the thought of riding with moonbyul in the fields was a fun, romantic concept. just not in these conditions, with an army following them, sun boiling their skins, without having showered since they departed gangwon. gods. what she wouldn’t do for a bath at the moment.

“so they say and yet here you are.” 

maybe if she cut moonbyul’s tongue out as an offering to the gods they might grant her some rain in the middle of summer. or maybe she might just do it because she felt like it. her current mood was not up to the task of dealing with byul’s greasy behaviour. 

“and yet here i am.” 

the golden dragon pin jimin had sent to be made for her shone under the sunlight as the words were spoken. it hung proudly from yong’s sleeveless white jeogori that was slowly turning yellow. 

her pair of brown, baggy bajis and leather boots were making the journey even more arduous. the feeling of sweat running down her legs was not a pleasant one. so how could moonbyul prance around under the midday sun while in two undershirts, with an iron body armor on top that flowed all the way down to her legs into a skirt, a pair of tight bajis and the same leather boots she was wearing, yongsun was not sure. 

maybe she was crazy after all. 

at least she wasn’t wearing the steel helmet with the wolf seal. it was beautiful, she would not dare to say otherwise. but she’d come to discover that she much preferred to see moonbyul with her beautiful brown hair down. it had grown longer, now reaching her shoulder blades. everytime she hid it under a gat, she would hate it. 

the thought of byul deciding to have her hair just like yong liked it made the princess calm down a bit. with a whine, she complained. 

“i’m exhausted.” 

byulyi gave a low chuckle in return. there was something about those low, hoarse little laughs that sent chills down yong’s body. it made her body cool for the first time in days.

“we’ll reach a small farm by nighttime. or so did jimin said in the morning as we prepared to depart. i’ll make sure to find you a place to rest there.” 

“you know what happened the last time we were at an inn.” 

“i don’t believe there will be an inn in this one.” 

the village was smaller than yongsun thought it would be. the number of houses could be counted with two hands. there was a small market. a smithy turned storage room for cultivation tools. and a temple. all abandoned. 

“i warned our neighbours in gyeongsan about the danger in their lands. i invited them to look for refuge in gangwon where my people would surely receive them. some didn’t listen but i guess this lot did.” jimin announced as he got off his horse with the help of two of his army men. 

“that’s very noble of you, m’lord.” jungkook said from his horse, still next to namjoon. the boy look very regal in his bronze armor. he hadn’t taken his helmet off, opposite to byul. instead, he’d decided to show off the dragon sigil proudly wherever he went. 

“did you ever doubt my nobility, boy? you hurt me.” the pink-haired lord joked, placing his hand on his chest for further dramatism. 

“n-no.” 

“it’s just a jest, boy.” jimin said after noticing jungkook’s blush. “don’t take me too seriously. most of the times i’m only trying to have a good time.” 

“i’m not a boy.” namjoon had already dismounted his horse, as had the rest. only jungkook was left atop his beautiful black mare, daring to talk back to the lord of gangwon who was already walking towards one of the abandoned houses.

“you’re right. you aren’t. you’re my baby!” 

they’d gone through all the houses by the time the sun started to set. nothing had been left behind except for the hay-stuffed beds. they weren’t featherbeds and yongsun was sure something was biting on her leg but she was too happy to care.

byulyi had found her the most decent one like she’d promised she would. the one with the cleanest, biggest bed in the entire village. it even had a fireplace with a table and no chairs. it looked even better than jimin’s palace by then in her eyes. 

the princess fell into slumber as soon as her head hit the pillow-less mattress. it was barely dusk and yet yong felt like it was midnight. the bed felt like the most comfortable one she’d ever slept in. the room, despite smelling a bit weird, seemed like the most luxurious place she’d ever set a foot in. 

in her dreams she saw herself living in that small house. with no more than two rooms, she lit a fire and cooked dinner. broth, most likely. it was the only thing she’d learned to make back in the palace’s kitchens. 

two dogs would lie comfortably on the bed, one more on one chair. the crackling sound of the fire their companion along with the laughter of children outside mixed with a conversation of two voices. one she knew and one she did not.

the one she knew opened the door as the strange man on a wooden cart bid his farewell. 

“your boots are dirty. take them off before coming in, please.” yongsun ordered, not unkindly. the broth would be ready by then, already served and waiting on the table. 

“yes, love.” the woman replied in a sing-along tune, chuckling. when the sound of the low laugh yongsun’s ears, she didn’t have to turn back to see who it was. 

and yet she did, happy to see her wife after a long day at work. 

instead of seeing her in her usual stained robes, dirty from the harvest, she saw moonbyul covered in her usual iron-plate armor. her grey cape was torn and drenched in blood, droplets of red liquid pouring down onto the floor. 

the armor had dents on the chest, on the legs, on the shoulders. the wolf sigil was almost indistinguishable, hidden by blood and dirt but still there nonetheless. the clothes under the armor were as torn as the cape but they weren’t tarnished by any other red or brown color like the rest of her wife was. 

with her boots discarded, the skin on her feet looked wet. the more yongsun’s eyes travelled up byulyi’s form, the more she realized how soaked she was. when she finally reached her face, yong screamed and dropped the bowl she’d been carrying delicately in her hands. 

the sound of the plate breaking boomed inside the house. still, moonbyul didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong. 

“are you alright, ddun?” 

the name of endearment only proved yongsun that what stood in front of her was indeed her wife and not a monster worthy of a myth. with a hand flying to cover her mouth and nose, yongsun stepped back.

“yong?” 

she wasn’t sure how moonbyul could sound so natural while looking so lifeless. the hair she loved so much had turned from brown to white. the skin on her face was as grey as the colors of her house and as green as the fields she’d been working on for the day. her moon eyes were gone. instead, two empty black holes with pus oozing from them and rolling down her cheeks as if they were tears would stare back. 

skin was still there but bones were the only thing yong noticed the most. one cheekbone was visible as the skin had been cut open from the under eye all the way down to the jaw. there was no blood coming out of it, however. as if water had kept her body from consuming itself. 

“don’t worry. i’ll get another plate.” 

the corpse moved as normal as any other living person would. it smiled at yongsun as it walked up to her, ignorant of the state of its decaying teeth. with some missing, its white gums would show instead, worms crawling out of her mouth.

when yong walked backwards to avoid the thing she tripped and fell into an uncomfortable chair. the wind blew the fire off, darkness pooling around her at once. the cadaver sat by her side, bowl in hand. when it tried to swallow the broth, most of it would pour out through the wound on its cheek. 

the more yongsun squirmed in her seat to get away from the reeking thing, the more she felt it poking at her sides. 

diverting her attention from the corpse to the chair, she finally discovered that the chair was made out of thousands of bones.

yongsun sat up in her bed with a loud gasp. sweat was running down her brow and she felt like she had a fever. in a hurry, her hands moved to lit a candle next to her bed only to screech in horror when a creature sitting by her bed moved.

“princess? are you feeling ill?” it was seokjin. the candle was fastly lit by his steady hands, light finally showcasing the true uneasiness in his face.

“where’s moonbyul?” 

she hadn’t been to too many temples in her life if she had to be honest. there were some in the capital, grand and majestic as most temples were. yongsun was not a religious person herself so she always questioned the masses for spending money on buildings like these instead of paying stonemasons to raise shelters or more markets. 

that had been one of the few things her and the king had ever agreed on. both guided by analysis and logic instead of heart and faith. 

_ now i assume faith is what keeps us all going, specially during times like these.  _ yongsun thought grimly as she stepped inside the temple. 

there were some men sleeping on the floor, others on benches. there weren’t enough houses or beds for the more than a hundred men that had travelled with them. from the corner of her eye she was able to notice namjoon sleeping among his men with jungkook nearby. 

_ always so dutiful. _

despite the village being small, the temple had an average size. just enough to equip itself with three spacious rooms. the largest one was occupied by soldiers. the other was empty, not even candles had been left behind after the people fled. the third one was empty too except for four small statues atop a simple wooden table. 

few candles were still lit around them though, and in front of the statues, moonbyul sat on the floor. legs crossed. hands pressed together with the fingers pointing up. eyes open. thinking. 

it was too dim to see anything but the back of her head. the hair was still brown, though. and she was not wearing her armor. there was no blood in her grey robes, her bajis, her bare feet. the skin looked as natural and slightly tanned as ever. 

the sigh she let out gave her away.

“the four heavenly kings.” byulyi explained without turning back. “the ruler of the north, he who hears everything. the ruler of the south, he who causes growth. the ruler of the east, he who upholds the realm. the ruler of the west, he who sees everything.” 

“which one do you pray to?” 

“any who will listen.” 

it didn’t take long for the princess to sit next to byulyi. whenever in the same room it was hard not to be next to one another. even if they were mad. even if yongsun was annoyed at her. even if they were surrounded by gods. 

“do you think they’re mad at us?” 

“for what?” now in candlelight yong could finally see that there wasn’t even the tiniest of scratches on moonbyul. she’d known so as she walked in the direction jin had pointed to, but why had she felt so scared still? it was all so very real to her. all too true. 

“for us. for our...preference.” 

“i don’t believe the four heavenly kings are the least bothered by us kissing in the dark.” the assurance made yong flush a bit. “but if they were, i’d stop praying to them.” 

“i wouldn’t want to make you give up on your family’s religion.” 

“i’m not religious. i’d fight these four only to be able to kiss you one last time.” 

byulyi winced in anticipation, waiting for the punch to be delivered to her already bruised arm. she glanced curiously at yongsun when the blow didn’t land. 

“are you unwell?” 

“if i had a coin for every time i’ve been asked that tonight.” 

“you’re already rich.” byul shrugged, smile on her lips. reaching inside her pockets she took out a bag of nuts yong noticed she’d been picking from bushes back in the woods. “my question still stands. are you unwell?” 

“i had a nightmare. that’s all.” 

“what about?” in their own little privacy byulyi found comfort. she stretched her legs and spoke with her mouth full. back in the capital, yong would’ve scolded her for it. but here she only stole the bag from byul’s hands and ate away. 

“my father.” she lied. 

“i thought you didn’t love your father.” 

“i care about him well enough to have nightmares about him dying.” 

“do you dream about that too?” 

she didn’t, in all honesty. and she didn’t enjoy lying to byul. not like that. 

“do you?” 

“sometimes. i have more nightmares when i don’t sleep next to you.” 

the attempt at greasiness made her smile. “we haven’t slept side by side since we left gangwon.” 

“why do you believe i’m here in the middle of the night then?” 

“oh. you’re right. i’m sorry.” 

“you’re here now. i’ll live.” 

it was meant to be a joke but it only brought yongsun flashbacks of her terrible dream. shaking her head lightly she moved closer to byul. she needed to touch her, to feel that she was still there with her. that she was still very much alive, very much still the same moonbyul. 

“are you sure you dreamt about your father only?” the commander asked when she felt yong run her hands over her arms, her face, and circle her by the waist, bringing her closer in a cuddle. 

there was no answer. at the lack of a witty response from the princess, byul attempted to disentangle herself from the blonde only to be held tighter. yong only sniffed meekly. 

“yong, i’m fine. nothing will happen to me. i promise.” 

“you can’t promise such things.” 

“i’m a moon. we are-”

“so moons don’t die? moons don’t bleed? moons don’t fall?” 

“we do. it just takes a lot to make us actually do so.” 

yong groaned. “this isn’t some stupid game.” 

“i know it isn’t. it’s war. my father knew it and so do i.” 

“then why do you act like you don’t care?” 

“i do care. i care about you.” 

the words made yongsun grow exasperated. her hands finally let go of byulyi’s middle but she didn’t move too far. just enough to express her irritation. truth was, she didn’t want to be away from byul. not then and not ever. not where she couldn’t make sure she was okay. 

“i’m tired of people caring about me. i want you to care about yourself.”

“yong, you’re our future. we must protect you. protecting you means protecting our kingdom.” 

yong knew it to be truthful. she’d known so ever since she was able to listen to her own thoughts. the idea only enhanced when the war started. thousands would lie their lives in exchange for hers, including byulyi. she never thought she was that special to begin with. 

“you’re my future.” yong said, sinking back into byul’s embrace. 

but it was her duty. 

the group departed at first light. after midnight, yong had guided byulyi back to the house and they’d managed to get some sleep. the nightmares didn’t come back. the village still haunted her though, and so did the house. what had been glorious to find at first had become a somber reminder of what she’d seen. 

getting back on her horse had never felt so good. riding through the meadow hadn’t either. yong felt like she was being freed after years of captivity. namjoon would only arch an eyebrow in inquisitiveness, proceeding to leave his cousin be. 

“not too far away, my ladies! we’re near!” yoongi yelled as yong raced her horse after byulyi’s. 

after days of travelling they were almost near the agreed meeting place. the fact that they would either have to travel to jeolla or go back to gangwon irked yongsun. not too long ago she dreamed about travelling the country. little did she know everything it entailed, especially with an army under her command. 

still, she decided to push the thought to the back of her mind. byul was dismounting her horse to run up a wee hillside. the princess did the same. her white horse seemed to get along just fine with byul’s grey mare, both staying put. 

when the couple reached the summit, yong wasn’t able to hide her glee. 

in the distance, just half a day away, a river. 

“the yeong river.” jimin pointed out once they were close enough to it. it was little past midday and the heat was making yongsun feel exhausted once again. jimin’s voice would’ve been annoying any other day, but today, as he spoke more and more about the water a few meters away, she felt hopeful. “it flows into the nakdong river, which eventually flows into the sea. we will need a raft but after we cross it we will only be one day away from sangju.” 

when the rocky shore was reached, everyone started to work on rafts and boats at once. namjoon guided some men back to the forest they’d come from to gather wood. others like yoongi and jungkook decided to jump into the river to try and catch some fish with their bare hands. 

“no. no. like this.” yong could hear yoongi demonstrate the youngest as he sank his hands into the river only to come up with some seaweed. 

jungkook had pushed him aside jokingly, causing him to fall back on his arse. the commander of the city watch let him, weirdly enough. he’d only smiled fondly at namjoon’s squire before getting up and trying again. 

“everybody loves that boy.” she heard jin said from the ground. he was lying on his back, some of his dirty robes cushioning the rocks underneath. 

“i don’t believe this is the right time to be sunbathing, my lord.” 

seokjin had only shrugged noncommittally. 

with everyone busy enough, yongsun believed it was finally time for her so awaited and deserved bath. she hadn’t brought any handmaidens along, nor soap or perfume, but the water would do. anything that could wash the smell and dust away would do. 

she informed two of her most trusted guards about her plans. they walked her down the riverbend, to a place with more trees and bushes to hide her form in. the men stayed in place with their backs turned some feet away. just enough for yongsun to feel comfortable while still guarded.

finally, the princess began to undress happily. the water was cold when she stepped inside, body shivering at the touch, so with a deep breath she jumped in. the river was deeper there, not shallow like where yoongi had been fishing.

the opportunity for her to swim so freely was rare. it was odd, in her mind, that she was finally able to enjoy herself while in the middle of a conflict. life had stopped making sense many years ago, she figured in the end. 

the crystal clear water flowed calmly, gusts of warm wind making her wet hair stick to her forehead. some of the fish that had escaped yoongi’s attempts were swimming around her. she could feel their light touch on her feet and legs. the sensation made her giggle. 

with her eyes closed, yongsun decided to float and relax her body, at peace after what seemed centuries. 

“you love to copy everything i do, don’t you?” 

a voice came from behind. it surprised her so much that she lost her concentration and sank. a hand found her and pulled her up. with water in her nostrils and mouth, yongsun took a moment to cough and spit everything out. 

when the back of her hands wiped her eyes, byulyi is who she saw in front of her with a worried expression.

“what are you doing here?” yongsun shrieked just loud enough for byul to hear. 

“i was already here. i was just over there.” she pointed to the other side of the river. “i was doing some exploring when i saw you jumping in. it was my idea first though.” 

the other woman sank into the water and emerged again on her back, floating freely as yongsun had been doing before she appeared. with every stroke of her arms her breasts bounced beautifully. in a dilemma, yong turned around, lowering her face into the cold liquid to hide her reddened cheeks. 

“come. let’s race to shore and back like we did with the horses. the loser cooks dinner.” 

“byul-ah. we should just stay here.” 

“here? just floating?” the splash sent water into yong’s eyes. “that’s boring. i was already bored before i saw you coming in.” 

“if jin finds us here he will drown you.” 

“jin is too busy tanning. he never notices anything around him when he’s deep into his beauty time.” 

byul pulled her closer then, causing yongsun to yelp in surprise. 

“it’ll be fun. it will help you with your nightmares. you know, relaxing for a bit.” 

yong knew she meant swimming but with byul’s front pressed agaisn’t her back she could scarcely think straight. indeed, a race would make the stress leave her body. she would finally be able to have a decent night sleep, even if it was on the ground. the horse race had made her happy in the morrow. this one sounded as promising. 

when she turned her head to accept the challenge, her eyes were met with byulyi’s innocent gaze looking down at her. they studied the commander’s soft yet strong features. her nose, her cheeks, her jaw, her lips. her sight wandered on the lips a little longer than she registered. 

“yong?” byulyi whispered with a smile on her face. 

as yong moved forward to press a soft kiss on the woman’s lips, a splash followed by a strong wave hit the couple.

“my ladies! fine river, isn’t it? i used to host parties near here. people in gyeongsang loved me more than they loved their lord.” jimin sang as he appeared from behind byulyi, swimming their way. 

“what are you doing?” yongsun asked for the second time that evening, this time in a more repulsed tone than before. 

park jimin didn’t seem to take notice of the shock in the princess’s face. he was as naked as they were, yet he didn’t seem to mind. byul could only gape at both of them, back and forth, amusement on her features. 

“bathing, of course. as you are. the kingdom is yours, my princess, but i believe that if you start privatizing the rivers the people might revolt.” 

“i - i wouldn’t.” 

“then let’s share. water is a common right.” 

“i believe my lady is just a tad uncomfortable due to our lack of clothing, my lord.” byulyi addressed him. despite the funny situation byul still did her best to cover yongsun.

it took a moment for jimin to process what she meant by those words. he gaped when it finally clicked in his head. “my lady, my apologies. i never meant to cause you distress. nakedness is the most natural of forms to me, harmless unless we want it to be. besides, i’d never, my lady. while i do appreciate the female existence and their nude form i do not seem to care much for it, physically speaking.” 

“i thought you wanted to marry my sister.” 

“i do. she’s beautiful, i’ve heard. and fun to be with. a pirate. who wouldn’t love to marry one? marriage does not always involve intercourse, though. it can be just a consented union between two loving friends who wish to spend a pleasant time together.”

embarrassment was becoming too much to bear for yongsun. she made sure to shield herself further behind byulyi. the water was clear enough to be see-through and she didn’t want to see anything but the man’s face. 

byul seemed to think alike, focusing more on jimin’s eyes. despite this, the commander’s voice still held a childish tone to it. “would you like a race, my lord?” 

“tempting. a competition isn’t fun if it doesn’t involve a prize though, my lady.” 

“what are you doing?” third time. gods, if she really had a wish for every time she had to repeat herself with this company. 

“i wanted to race, i told you.” byulyi murmured before turning back. “money has little value during war. how about food? a drink? a secret confession?” 

“you’re quite lively under that shell of yours that you use to pretend to be tough, aren’t you, lady moonbyul? is that the side only my princess gets to see?” 

“do you accept or not?” 

“fine.” park jimin laughed, spattering water with a soft blow of his hand. “whoever loses tells a secret tonight during dinner. something spicy, something that would make a monk blush.” 

“i have plenty.” byulyi waved the punishment away. “i won’t be the one speaking though.” 

and with that, byul pushed herself forward and swam. the pink-haired lord seemed taken aback. with long strokes he was able to catch up, but the other woman was still beating him by inches. yongsun did not dare look. she couldn’t. what even was going on? she was happy to be bathing one minute and suddenly she was staring at the clouds, thinking about something to do. 

her eyes flew to the now four soldiers guarding the place. 

then to the men away in camp, building rafts. 

the memory of war came back. 

the memory of her nightmare came back. 

the memory of her father came back. 

it all came back in an instant. it was all too much to bear. all too much to carry on her shoulders. the world was starting to spin, the water around her turning even colder. her legs and arms were getting tired of keeping her afloat now that byulyi was gone. for a moment, she thought she would drown. 

until the sound of byulyi’s laughter echoed through the river and came back to her. 

“yong! come on!” 

for the first time in so long, she allowed herself to forget and be free. 

both jimin and byulyi had lost in the end to an energized yongsun. so at night, around the fire, they’d share some of their most shameful moments. jimin admitted to once encountering a handsome man who looked youthful in the gardens, but when they went back inside he discovered it was an old man with a wart on his nose. he’d been kind enough though, so lord jimin had granted him a dance and an invitation to stay over for dinner. 

byul talked about one time when jin followed her at night to a small cabin outside the city gates. inside, a girl a little bit older than her. she was the daughter of a southern merchant who’d come to the north to sell spices for a few months. 

“lee da hee.” byulyi had whispered her name with such delicacy that it’d made yongsun feel a bit jealous even if she’d never met the woman from over eight years ago. 

they’d been talking for some time in her room until she found herself under da hee’s bodyweight, squirming under her touch as the eldest kissed her neck. it was then that jin had stormed into the room, her mother in tow. byulyi had been pulled out of the house by the ear and locked inside her chambers for months. it didn’t matter how much her father interceded for his only daughter, her mother was adamant. 

byul didn’t talk to jin for a year after the incident. 

“it wasn’t until he saved my life during a hunt that i decided to forgive him. he’s been a pain in the ass ever since.” 

seokjin lifted his wineskin in the air so he could pledge to that. 

“i say good job, my lord.” the princess half-whispered to the man next to byul, making sure the warrior could hear her. 

“you’re aware that he could do the same to us if he wanted too, right?” 

“i’m not sure what you’re talking about, byul-ah. i’m a princess. i don’t engage in that type of behaviour.” 

namjoon’s ale almost spilled out of his nose as he cackled at the affirmation. 

“is there anything you’d like to say, joon?” 

“ah, there are many things i’d like to say to that, cousin. i guarded your door back in the capital, i’m afraid. out of respect for my fellow men at arms, i will keep it to myself.” joon said once he’d calmed down, giving her a toothy smile as he happily chewed on the fish jungkook ended up catching.

“no, no. i’d like to hear it.” 

“shut up, jin.” byulyi demanded, mouth full of bread. 

“how the hell did you sneak into her chambers back in hanseong?” 

“the balcony.” both byul and jungkook said at the same time. the heavy gaze of the woman made the youngest wish he hadn’t spoken. 

“you’re scaring him.” yoongi accused her, throwing some berries he’d picked from the woods at her. 

the warrior disregarded him. “how did you know?” 

“you weren’t very quiet. i also had patrol duties very often.” 

it was jin’s time to make his demands. “so you two,” he said, pointing at namjoon and kook, “knew and you didn’t tell me.” 

“do you always have a stick up your arse, my lord?” jimin finally spoke, clearly a bit tipsy from the now two bottles of wine he’d drank. “let them be. we’re all free to do as we please.” 

“not in the west, most certainly.” 

“why, that’s the reason i don’t often travel west then.” 

“could we please stop talking about our privacy?” 

“my princess, you two will be queens one day. i’m afraid everyone will talk about your privacy eventually.” 

“well, i don’t enjoy hearing it from my counsel. there will be no more discussion about my private affairs.” 

jimin threw his hands in the air as a surrender. at first, yong thought he was mocking her. by the look of it, byulyi thought so too. “spoken as a true ruler. my queen commands, i follow.” 

“ass kisser.” seokjin mumbled. 

the pink-haired lord grabbed seokjin by the waist and threw him back. the pair rolled around on the ground as they fought, or so they called it. 

“you’re throwing all the dust our way.” joon complained as he let the boys have their little quarrel. 

“i win.” jimin announced after some time, fists in the air in victory; jin trying to free himself from underneath his frame.

the scene brought a sad smile to yongsun’s lips. the rest were busy, clapping to congratulate jimin on his victory as the man crawled his way back to where he had been sitting. it was quick, but moonbyul was able to catch it. 

“yong?” 

“i will truly miss this.” 

byulyi moved to take yong’s hand into her own, bringing it up to her lips so she could kiss the back of softly. ignoring the collective  _ ew _ , byulyi centered her attention on her princess. “it will all go back to normal soon. i promise.” 

“byul-ah.” the princess returned the gesture. “please stop making promises you can’t fulfill.” 

it was just one more day before they reached sangju. the march was energetic. after a full night's rest, a full belly, and plenty of wine still to spare, the group moved happily through the last forest. the river had been easy to cross. some didn’t even need the rafts in the end. most soldiers just took off their iron armor and enjoyed a swim to the other side. 

the quick dip turned out to be useful when the blazing sun of midday appeared. the trees around them helped well enough as well. the horses had been more tricky. it had taken them more time to help them cross than it took them to swim the other way. nevertheless, they’d persisted and even the horses seemed fresh enough. 

when the forest ended, the first thing yongsun saw was the lion banners. 

up on a hill the lion gleamed. its golden face engraved on the soldier’s armor looking like the sun itself. angry, roaring, as if coming to life from the helmets, the banners, and the breastplates. it was like nothing yongsun had ever seen before. it didn’t look like any armor in the kingdom.

“foreign armor.” moonbyul said to herself. 

before yong could ask more questions, jimin’s horse ran past them in a rush. the pink hair was all they were able to see as the lord ran up the hill to encounter this kim taehyung they knew little about. 

“let’s go.” 

the horses were discarded at the bottom so they could rest. yong wasn’t sure why they kept having all of these meetings on top of hills. they were tiring to climb, especially in the heat. it only made her wonder how taehyung could be wearing that heavy, steel armor without bursting into flames. 

taehyung and jimin had embraced long enough for yong to see what was really going on. she’d be lying if she said she was surprised. 

“my princess. my lady.” jimin started. “this is lord kim taehyung. he is the captain - was it captain? yes. captain of the bodyguard group for the lady of jeolla. she decided to send him to us so we could discuss a deal.” 

“a deal?” byulyi asked. “isn’t she going to help us?” 

“straight to the point. very well. my princess. my lady. i’m afraid that lady hyejin wants to take into consideration some aspects before providing her navy to people she deems as rebels to the crown.” 

“my lord, my apologies if this sounds rude but are you sure she read the message about the 200 japanese ships near our shores?” 

“my princess. she did. i personally gave her the letter. it was i who urged her to allow me to come.” 

“so she doesn’t honestly wish to come to our aid? why didn’t she come to reject us herself?” 

“i’m afraid that your father called for her father’s banners so they could go to support them in busan. lady hyejin is the last ahn family member alive. she had to remain in her lands.” 

“is my father alive still?” that part was the only thing byulyi was able to catch from all his words. turning around she couldn’t see the land of busan but she could see the ocean. she couldn’t see the ships but she knew they were still there. 

“what worries lady hyejin?” 

“her father. just like you worry about yours, my princess. and just like lady moonbyul worries about hers. she’s willing to help you, as am i. my family is hanseong. if the japanese advance in korea they will doubtlessly want to take the capital. i also mean to protect every village and every person out there. they’re our people, even if jeolla is aislated from the rest of the kingdom.” 

“what does she want us to do about her father?” 

“she wants him back.” tae sighed heavily, shoulders falling in an almost defeat manner. “she wants lord moon to send him back to jeolla so he can fight beside her with our ships. my lady ahn is a great sailor but she never learned how to fight, i’m afraid. she needs her father.” 

“her father is with my own. how am i supposed to convince him to send lord ahn back?” byulyi nearly sneered at the lad, eyes finally parting ways from the busan township. 

tae shrugged as if it were obvious. “send him a raven.” 

“i don’t know where he’s at exactly. don’t you think i would’ve rode there to find him already if i did?” 

“byul-ah. calm down.” 

“it’s not as simple as she believes it is. war is not that simple.” 

“i’m afraid that if my lady hyejin doesn’t have her father back, she won’t give you her ships.” 

“i don’t know where my father is, ser.” 

“byul.” jin called for her from a few steps back. 

when she turned around to face him, the place in the ocean she’d been observing some seconds before was covered in black and grey smoke. a cloud that rose from the sea and took over the land. ashes were flying in the air. the booming sound of canions somehow reaching their ears. the wind shifted suddenly.

“byul, i believe i know where your father is at.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy sunday! long chapters are back and now the conflict has started. at last! after like 11 chapters. i hope the build-up for the moment was good enough. now the real story will start. i really hope you all like it as much as you have so far <3 thank you so much for reading. for your kudos and comments. everyone stay safe out there! don't go out and wash your hands as much as possible.


	13. berries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “i said i will not abandon my father.” 
> 
> “i wasn’t talking to you.” joon shot back in an almost desperate manner. it did nothing but make byul go from anxious to angry. “yong. we should go.” 

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  


the smoke signal had been lit from the coastal line in busan. past the hills, the mountains, the forests and the lakes, they could all see it desperately rising, begging for assistance from nearby allies. the white clouds from her people fighting in busan would get mixed with the black ones emanating from canons and burning houses. the sky that just a few moments ago had been open and blue had now become obscured with war and death. 

“i have to go back.” was the first thing yongsun heard. her face turned only to see park jimin already running down the hill, taehyung’s eyes following him with a sense of worry. “i have to go defend the people in gangwon. they will come for us after they’re done with busan.” 

“lord-” 

“i’m taking some of the men i brought along with me.” the pink haired lord interrupted the crown princess, pausing just momentarily to face the group that was now so far away from him that he had to shout. “you may keep the other half. i have a large army back in the city to defend it. i will tell those who stay that they are to follow the orders from commander moon byul.” 

and with that, he was gone. 

_ byul _ . 

it was when she remembered. 

yong’s attention flew from jimin getting lost in the distance to her betrothed. the woman had not seemed to have moved an inch since the smoke rose. it was quite impossible that yong had ever seen her that frozen ever in her life. was she even breathing? she could not tell. 

“byul, what-” 

“my princess.” came another interruption. this time from min yoongi. the young lad, more by looks than by age, approached her with that serious expression he always had on, almost as unmoving as byul. with a bow he continued, “allow me to go back to the capital. i’m the commander of the city watch. i will protect the kingdom’s main city and keep it safe for your arrival.” 

_ my arrival.  _

would they be going back? or would they turn to assist busan with the few men they had left? would they part ways or flee north? all the preparations they’d made in the last few months had all suddenly gone to waste. now, in the middle of the real invasion, they were all truly nothing more than frightened children. 

gathering up as much courage as she could to speak, yong replied. “y-yes. you may. make sure to keep the capital well guarded, no matter the cost.” 

with a strong nod, min yoongi made his way down the hill. he’d be travelling alone. taking soldiers with him would only slow him down. yong knew him well enough by then to know what his decision making would be like. she’d been right. 

“we should go to jeolla. we’ll be safer there. we’ll be able to make plans. i’m sure lady hyejin won’t mind.” taehyung’s voice came. now a little bit more cracked, nothing like the commanding and even sweet tone he’d used when they first came to him. 

“i won’t abandon my father.” 

those were the first words byulyi had uttered since the smoke had risen. it shocked yongsun quite a bit. it was as if it was the first time she was listening to her voice almost. the wind blew and it only made the smoke clouds grow bigger. it swept byul’s brown hair around, making her look more beautiful than she’d ever seen her. 

namjoon halted her line of thought. “kim taehyung is right. we should turn to jeolla. you can shelter there.” 

“i said i will not abandon my father.” 

“i wasn’t talking to you.” joon shot back in an almost desperate manner. it did nothing but make byul go from anxious to angry. “yong. we should go.” 

“you can go. i will head to busan.” said byul, lifting her wolf helmet from where it’d been lying on the floor and putting it on. 

it was time for yong to panic. no. she wouldn’t let her. she was not going to let byul go alone. 

“i’ll go with you. we will all go.” 

“no. they’re right. you’ll be safer in jeolla. wait for me there.” 

“byul.” yong said softly, grasping at the commander’s long sleeves covered by chainmail. when she didn’t listen and instead turned back to start descending the hill, the princess spoke louder. “moonbyul! i command you to either stay or go back with me to the jeolla province.” 

“stay or go? you’ve always been so indecisive.” the jest did little to make yongsun laugh. before she could respond, however, byulyi continued. “you know we can’t abandon them. even with the little men we’ve got, we have to go and try save as many as we can. our people. my father. hyejin’s father. if he’s not brought back to her alive she won’t give us the ships. remember that.” 

it made sense. everything that was coming out of byul’s goddamned mouth made so much sense and yong hated it. she  _ hated  _ when byul was right. 

“wherever you go, i’ll go.” it was a last desperate attempt, she knew. but they’d said it. they’d said those words.

after her nightmare and the rest that followed as they made their way to sangju, the last thing yong wanted was to part ways with byulyi. it was so stupid. both in her head and in reality, to think that yong would be able to do anything to protect the woman she’d inadvertently fallen in love with was stupid. but she could try at least. she was the crown princess. she’d go to hell and back if it meant byul would live. 

her interests for byul to live clashed with the interest of the entire country to keep  _ her  _ alive and well instead though. if only they’d gotten married when they had the chance. if only yong hadn’t been so utterly selfish and immature, byulyi would be as relevant for the kingdom as she was. 

but she wasn’t. she was just another pawn the court could dispose of and that reality was reflected in byulyi’s eyes when yong looked into them. 

“i’ll come back. i promise.” byul whispered. yong felt the hand that was desperately holding onto the other woman be delicately taken away, not without a soft kiss being placed on the back of it for the last time. 

her hand dropped as if she were nothing but a puppet. namjoon said some words she was not able to comprehend entirely. something along the lines of having to leave right away. in the blink of an eye, byulyi was gone. 

╔═════☩══♛══☩═════╗

only a handful of soldiers had been left behind to guide the princess to the promised jeolla area. taehyung had ultimately decided to accompany moonbyul so he could try and rescue hyejin’s father. 

_ “he’s like my father too.”  _

jin had led the way for tae to follow after the moon commander. namjoon and jungkook had to almost drag yongsun away from the hill. her eyes hadn’t left the horizon after the army had parted with byul on the frontlines, charging into busan to try and defend whatever was left to defend. 

it was going to be a long journey for both of them. from sangju to busan and from sangju to jeonju. the uncertainty of the outcome of byul’s quest left yong numb during most of their course. joon would make sure to make a fire, not too big so they couldn’t be traced just in case, so she could keep warm during the chilly nights. 

jungkook would hunt for anything. some nights they had rabbits to eat, other nights they had nothing but berries and leaves. yong could sense herself getting skinnier each passing day and wondered why they had allowed panic to overpower their common sense after travelling from gangwon. food had been eaten away during that journey, she remembered very well. 

it’d been just a few days since they had all been fishing in the rivers, drinking wine around the fireplace, eating away and even dancing. days that felt like years past. 

her nightmares had returned, this time worse than ever. byulyi was in some of them, one way or another. the most recent one had presented itself in the form of a large wave coming from the ocean and engulfing everything in its path. the wave would stop, however, and yongsun would find herself standing in the tallest mountain in the kingdom. byulyi would emerge from the water, soaked and corpse-like as usual, and stand by her side, overseeing the land as the sea drew back. 

those were the good ones. 

in others she would walk in an endless field full of rotting bodies, all carrying armor with different sigils. banners would still stand proudly next to their owners and everything would be silent. there was not a single scream, an agonizing grunt for help, a precarious breath to try and hold on to dear life. the silence would drive yongsun mad but she had no choice but to keep walking and walking for eternity down the path of death. 

until at last, at last, she’d find a small wooden chair to rest. she’d sit and gasp for air after all the walking she’d done for years. the chair was surrounded by dead people, but at that point yongsun had grown accustomed to it. 

every night she’d wake up with sweat pouring down her forehead. either joon and kook would always be there, sitting next to her, with a reassuring hand on her shoulder. they’d tried to help at first. jungkook had ventured into the woods one day to try and find special plants to make her some tea so she could sleep peacefully. 

it’d helped for half the night, but during the other half the nightmares had taken a turn for the worst. 

namjoon would talk to her in his deep, calming voice she was so familiar with until she fell asleep. the comfort of his voice would soon fade away, being empowered by yet another nightmare. 

now the pair had surrendered and limited their efforts to being near her for whenever she woke up, so yongsun could see that it had all been nothing but a dream. 

except she was starting to believe otherwise. 

“do you think dreams become real?” yong asked joon one day as they neared their final destination. they’d been traveling for weeks, now the events of the hill a distant memory. it was only a matter of days before they reached jeolla and for the first time since byulyi left, yongsun felt a tiny ounce of relief. 

“some do.” jungkook answered instead. his hair had grown into curls, reaching his forehead and sometimes obstructing his view. despite this, he was able to catch namjoon’s disapproval of his reply, so he added, “but i don’t believe your nightmares will, princess.” 

“i just find them to be odd. they’re never the same yet there are elements that are always present.” 

“there can be many logical interpretations for such dreams, yongsun.” namjoon spoke. it was the first time they’d gotten yong to talk that much, so he was taking the chance to try and distract her from what was happening. even if it meant talking about her nightmares. “i’m sure yours do as well. we will find a maester when we reach jeolla. they will be able to either analyze them for you or give you real medicine so you can sleep soundly.” 

the promise of an explanation and some sleep motivated her to push forward. they walked during the morning and rode during the afternoon. they took turns to sleep for just half a night so they could keep marching and move faster. 

in the end, just as yongsun was about to go unconscious from the midday heat, the lack of sleep and hunger, she saw the city gates tower above her, casting a shadow that blocked the sun from damaging her skin any further. 

the walls of the city of jeolla were so tall that yongsun didn’t really think they had an end. she was unable to see the top of the two main towers. she could try, but that meant going back under the sun and that was something she surely did not want to do. 

the stony barricade disappeared into the woods to her right and into the sea to her left. the smell of salt reached her just like it had back in gangwon. the gigantic iron gates were lifted slowly after the men inside, that she could not see either, recognized the lion banners the jeolla men were carrying in front of her. 

after the main iron gate was raised, a second one followed. a thick door made out of oak wood with holes in the middle to allow arrows be shot from the inside. the sight that awaited for yongsun after it opened was nothing like what she was expecting. 

when they visited gangwon, back when everything was normal and well, the wonju gates had opened to reveal a beautiful city constructed out of gold, marble, and mahogany. the city of jeolla had houses made out of thin wood with no paint on them and hay as roofs. 

the roads were muddy and the people around seemed happy enough, but dirty and tired. carts loaded with vegetables would come and go, men would shout prices while women offered clothing and jewelry crafted from ocean rocks. 

the more they advanced into the city, the more yongsun realized how little she really knew about the province. the people gathered around them, gazing up in wonder. back in hanseong the citizens showed their respects, just like had done so in gangwon, but yong had never seen someone so struck over a white horse or the armor that namjoon was wearing. 

the smallfolk didn’t even seem to know who she was, but they still gaped. they didn’t have a banner, the only thing that gave away who they truly were being the dragon sigils sewed on their clothing or hammered into their helmets. 

and yet nobody showed the courtesies that commoners should have when around royals. 

_ my own people don’t even know me. us.  _

the city was big. perhaps even bigger than the capital was. bigger than wonju had been. by the time they finally reached the main palace the sun didn’t seem to hurt as much as it had upon their arrival. 

the place wasn’t as fancy. it was very similar to the rest she’d seen so far. it did convey the main concept of what a palace was supposed to be, yes. that it did have at least. with only three floors instead of the six hers had. or the ten that jimin’s had. there were two banners miserably hanging from the poorly-kept balconies. lions. yellow and black. house ahn. 

there weren’t many steps to climb up since the palace seemed to be the smallest one yong had ever been to. for that she was thankful. the princess was so exhausted she believed she might fall asleep at any given moment. when one of the few servants inside the place brought them some water, her, namjoon and jungkook almost jumped atop the poor man. 

the chair in the center of what yong assumed was the throne room was empty. there weren’t many people around. a few guards, two servants, one handmaiden. it wasn’t crowded like it usually was at her home. it was something she believed she could get used to if given the chance. 

the doors at the back opened and at last there she was. lady ahn hyejin from jeolla. 

the woman strutted into the room wearing a pair of black bajis, a white long-sleeved see-through shirt and a pair of black leather boots. her hair was short and wet, as if she’d just been in the sea. she smelt like the sea. she was the sea. 

swaggering her way to the throne, hyejin took a seat in her father’s chair, crossing her legs and relaxing back into the non-cushioned furniture. despite the state of her hair, she was still wearing red lipstick and eyeliner. quite a lot of it. much like her sister yonghee used to dress before traveling the world and becoming a pirate. 

_ a trader. _ a trader. her sister was not a dirty pirate and neither was ahn hyejin. or so she hoped. 

“lady ahn hyejin.” 

“princess kim yongsun.” 

after an uncomfortable pause, yong ventured, “we appreciate your hospitality. this is ser kim namjoon, and jeon jungkook from my queensguard. we truly hope that your days are long and vast, and that your people-” 

“now, little princess. this is what we shall not do. let’s go straight to the point.” hyejin said, straightening up. “i see that you are here, your royal highness. so is this ser namjoon. and so is jeon jungkook. but i don’t happen to see my father. do you, by any chance, know where he is? i do hope taehyung told you about my conditions. speaking of, where is the captain of my bodyguard crew?” 

so many questions. so much to tell. yong was dizzy. the water had helped but now she felt like peeing. her clothes were stained and dirty. she was sure she smelled like rats. her hair was stuck to her face with sweat. all she wanted was for this to be done with. 

with a heavy sigh, yongsun started to tell the tale. “we met kim taehyung at the agreed location. as we were speaking, smoke rose in the distance. one of our men correctly identified it as it coming from busan. the invasion has started, lady hyejin.” 

another pause. 

a drop of sweat fell from yong’s forehead, hitting the floor. the sound echoed on the walls. 

hyejin’s face changed. 

“out.” she whispered before bursting into a fit of screams. “out! all of you. out.” 

the pair of women were left alone in the room. yong wasn’t afraid, but she wasn’t too confident in her bravery at the moment either. hyejin looked worse than how she was doing though. gasping for air and trying to swallow down tears, the lady of jeolla took a moment to compose herself just enough to be able to talk through gritted teeth. 

“where is my father?” 

“lady moonbyul went to save him.” 

“she went to save her father, you mean. the man who called for my father in the first place. he wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for the moons.” 

“lady moonbyul risked her life to go to their aid. your future queen.” yong replied back with the same bitterness now. 

“ah, yes. lady moonbyul. your lady love. and where is she now? if i may know. where is taehyung?” 

the question took yongsun aback. she didn’t really know where moonbyul was. ever since they parted at sangju she hadn’t heard anything about byulyi. it broke her heart but during the journey she had enough to worry about with her nightmares, dangerous animals, and jungkook almost feeding them poisonous seeds. 

was she alive? was moonbyul breathing at the moment? was she just another corpse surrounding her in her dreams? she hadn’t dreamt of byulyi in nights. what did it mean? 

“i-i’m afraid i have yet to hear of moonbyul and your friend. kim taehyung went with her to try and save your lord father.” 

thinking that lady hyejin was going to throw another fit, yongun braced herself for what was about to come. yet it never came. instead, she only heard heavy breathing coming from the floor, next to the chair she had been previously occupying. she wasn’t crying. not really. not externally. 

“they’ll come back. i assure you this.” 

“what do you want from me?” hyejin asked miserably, the fiery tone completely gone from her voice by then. 

yong wasn’t expecting the question. it took her a moment to think. why had she really come to jeolla after all? was she just following commands? wasn’t she the princess? she should be back in hanseong with yoongi, protecting the city, not in a foreign region too far away from home. 

pushing those doubts back, the princess finally spoke. “my companions and i would just like to spend a few days in your city, if you’ll have us. i’m sure that taehyung will lead the rest back to jeolla after their victory. we’d like to wait for them here. if they haven’t returned in a week, we’d like safe passage to return to the capital.” 

“what the princess wishes, the princess gets.” hyejin shrugged. she stood up, snapping her fingers forcellully. the servant from before approached her, and the lady of jeolla spoke to him as if he were another friend. “take her royal highness to our finest room. give her companions accommodations too. they won’t stay longer than a week.” 

the best room included nothing more than a big feather-bed, a fireplace, a small balcony, a wooden tub and a mirror, but to yongsun it was better than heaven. she’d instructed namjoon and jungkook to leave her alone. after everything that had happened, yong wanted nothing more than to collect her thoughts and make a plan. 

the pair had agreed but decided to take turns to guard her door, given the fact that she didn’t seem to be that loved in the area. 

instead of meditating and planning though, yong cried. 

yongsun cried more than she’d ever cried in her life. she wasn’t sure where all that water in her body was coming from but it would not stop. little tremors would travel down her body and sometimes she’d choke after sobs escaped her from nowhere. luckily, the servants had left water and ale behind. the water was warm and the ale bitter, but she drank both anyway.

it was still sunny when yong fell asleep and it was again sunny when she woke up. 

“how long have i’ve been asleep, joon?” 

“two days.” 

“has anything happened since then?” 

without a word, namjoon took a still closed letter out of his front pocket. 

it had the wolf sigil seal. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hullo! i'm back with another chapter. apologies for the delay. i hit a wall of writer's block for a few weeks but it disappeared a few days back, gladly! i tried to keep this chapter short so nothing gets revealed too soon lol thank you again for reading, your comments and your kudos. please stay safe, stay home, and stay healthy. 
> 
> also hyejin is a softie inside lol you'll see


	14. dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “let’s look for any survivors. whoever is found will accompany us.” 
> 
> “what if they can’t?” 
> 
> “carry them.” 

**MOON BYULYI**

  
  


the battle hadn’t been won. 

it had not been lost either. 

there was no huge battle to be fought once they reached busan. there were some enemies still left around, which they made sure to fight and overpower with ease. eight dead japanese against the two hundred innocent slaughtered in the small town just outside of the main port city. byul knew samurais were popular for beheading their victims to claim the heads as their prize. the ones who had invaded the city had not acted differently from what the rumors said. 

hundreds of heads still dripping blood stood hammered in spikes around the poor wooden walls surrounding the places. the rest of the heads laid on the ground, not too far away from the bodies they used to belong to. the corpses were not rot and yet the smell of death was strong enough to make any man dizzy. 

“are we sure there are not more japanese around?” jin asked. the lad seemed nervous, something that was odd from him. if he was nervous, byulyi could only imagine what the rest were feeling. hells, even her legs were shaking embarrassingly. 

“they’re gone. i sent three parties of scouts to search the area.” 

“should we go to the main city?” 

it would take them more time to reach it, byulyi knew. which meant the path to jeolla would be made even longer. it was an easy strategic decision to make. turn around, head to jeolla and regroup so they could head to the capital as soon as possible.

her foot grazed the small, skinny hand of a dead child lying near his mother’s headless body. both dead. 

“we will.” byul choked out. “let’s look for any survivors. whoever is found will accompany us.” 

“what if they can’t?” 

“carry them.” 

it took them half a day more to reach busan. the short stony walls were torn. the canyons they’d heard from afar at the hill the ones to blame for such devastation. houses were burnt to the ground, some with people still inside. most animals had been stolen. some cats were roaming the roads, looking for their owners. 

byul ordered her men to pour water on the few places that were still on fire. the market. the port. some small cabins near the ocean. by that time the japanese boats had retreated into the distance. still, they were careful not to make themselves too visible. 

“a hundred koreans versus two thousand japanese wouldn’t be too good.” jin had reasoned with the soldiers in charge of pulling bodies out of the sea. they couldn’t be buried. they were too many. it would take them days to dig the graves. 

they’d burn them as soon as they were about to leave. if the enemy saw the smoke from far away and draw near to inspect, they’d find no one there. 

among the ruins and ashes, byul came across a body she knew. with a defeated sigh, the woman crouched down to examine the remains. her fingers found something, took it off and placed the item in her pocket.

byulyi sat on the ground, not too far away from who she had found, as men around her dragged the bodies away. her gaze fell on the ocean and back to the city. it was all her father had feared and more. and yet, she’d not seen a trace of her father anywhere around the city. she had certainly searched every place where she thought her father could have garrisoned his men to fight. nothing but more dead people had been found. 

in the distance she heard a scream. 

when her head turned to see taehyung knelt on the sand, weeping and gripping onto a body full of arrows, she knew the lord of jeolla had been lost. 

╔═════☩══♛══☩═════╗

  
  


they had decided to depart before sunset. the bodies were set ablaze as they all ran into the woods and out of sight. 

byulyi allowed herself to cry that night. soldiers were exhausted and could barely hear anything. everyone was numb. if they heard her choked sobs, they decided not to show it. seokjin knew better than to intervene or comfort his childhood friend. so he let her be. they’d need to move quickly and non-stop to reach jeolla in two weeks if the gods were good. 

the enemy was advancing quickly. jimin was not going to be able to defend the rest of the kingdom forever in gangwon and it was only a matter of time before the only defense for the capital fell and the japanese reached hanseong. if the capital was crushed, the north would go next. 

byul wiped her tears and urged her horse forward at a quicker pace. they’d been able to retrieve some wagons from busan, just like a few survivors. only five of them but the five represented hope. among them was a healer by the name of jung hoseok. he’d been found by tae as he removed bits of heavy wood from the still conscious boy. 

despite his own wounds, hoseok had quickly moved to tend to others whose injuries were worse. he’d even said he’d walk and given up his space in the small wagon to an eldery woman they’d found hiding in some bushes. 

“my hand and my heart are the ones that are broken, not my legs. i can walk.” hoseok had said to jin and moonbyul before leaving the town. and so he’d gotten his wish. 

finding someone who was the closest thing to a professional maester was the best thing that could’ve happened to them in the days to follow. the lad knew his way around quite enough. he’d helped them to find their way out of gyeongsan while tae was guiding them into jeolla. 

there were no enemies around. instead of taking the coast, they were moving up with clear intentions, taking hanseong and the north, the two last strongholds in their way before reaching china. the group was moving fast, but to byulyi, nothing had ever felt so slow in her lifetime.

they’d ride day and night. they’d walk day and night. they’d sleep for two hours and then carry on. byul could see that most soldiers were tumbling down, passing out. some had to be carried to the wagons, among wounded victims. they’d shamely return to their positions the following day and continue with the march, only to have another one fall down. it was their routine now, but byulyi couldn’t stop and wait for everyone to get their energy and spirits up. 

the days of staying at inns and drinking while women danced and men kissed were over. the best moment in her day was whenever she got the chance to close her eyes and sleep for a little while. while yongsun dreamed of nightmares, moonbyul would dream of better days. 

she’d dream of yong in that pretty crystal dress she adored so much. she’d dream of the forest. she’d dream of the tower. she’d dream of the balcony and that time yong almost had her killed. 

sometimes she dreamt about her family back in the north. she dreamt about her father teaching her how to fight. her mother supporting her energy for warfare but internally hating every single moment of it. being an only child and thus being more social with the new people she met. friends came and went but byul never truly felt lonely.

she did now, during the moments she was awake. 

sometimes she liked to believe she also dreamt of the future. 

she would see herself in the gardens back in the north, where everything was colder but her insides felt warmer. yongsun would sit next to her by a pond and they’d lie there even after it got dark. they’d gaze up at the stars and the moon casting their light onto them just like the night they met. 

sometimes she dreamt of children. other times she dreamt of dogs. but yongsun would always be there. north. west. east. south. like the four gods from the kingdom, yongsun would be her goddess as she slept. 

whenever jin poked at her with his boots the dreams would end and reality would drown her back into the void. they had all been walking for days and were only eating whatever they could find. luckily, jin knew how to cook decently enough. he made the squirrel that tae had hunted down taste not so badly. 

other times they’d had to eat roots and even leaves from non-poisonous trees that hoseok fortunately knew about. some apples had been found and they were cut so everyone got their fair share. byul’s bit had worms in it but she ate it nonetheless.

“what will you tell the princess?” jin had questioned one day as they walked through the forest. the days had been hot, the nights even hotter. they could not discard their armor in case of an attack. they were boiling alive under the leather and iron without being able to do a thing. 

“the truth.” 

“what will you tell lady hyejin?” 

“that’s kim taehyung’s job. i’m not interfering with any of it.” 

“she won’t give us the ships now. what’s our next move?” 

“move north and hope she changes her mind.”

they were approaching jeolla. byulyi could tell by the change in the fauna around. trees were turning to palm trees. dirt was turning into sand. the sun was burning them more than before. nobody had ever been so happy about being half dead in so long.

instead of sleeping that night, she’d written a letter. 

_ ddun, _

_ we’re approaching our meeting point. i believe we will arrive in a few days. i’m unable to give more details due to the danger of this paper being found. things did not go well. don’t overthink it. i will explain when we get there. we shall be together again soon.  _

_ with love,  _

_ byul-ah. _

a wolf sigil mark was too dangerous but it was the only way it was going to be allowed into the palace, so byulyi took the risk. she needed yongsun to know that she was alive and well, one way or another. 

as she gave the scroll to a fellow soldier to be sent, her hand flew to her front pocket, tapping it lightly to ensure the content was still in there, safe, for her betrothed to see.

it was only a matter of days. just a few days more for this hell to be over. they would get involved into a different type of hell then, but at least they would do it together.

things would certainly change after she told yongsun what she’d witnessed back in busan. byul wasn’t sure if she was ready for everything around them to change. despite the war going on, their relationship had remained the same. so to say that she was anxious about the outcome of this specific situation was an understatement.

a raven was sent, and along with it, a silent prayer for yong to receive it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bonjour ladies! sorry about the short chapter. i tried to make it as long as i could but what happened was pretty concise aksdasd i'll try to make the next one a little bit longer. i hope everyone is safe out there! please stay home if you can. i hope you are all healthy and doing well. thank you for the support for this fic <3 200 kudos. i couldn't even imagine i would get to that when i first started it. thank you so much.


	15. pocket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> byulyi was the only one left standing. moonbyul’s look was sad. yong’s was desperate. 
> 
> "don’t." she silently begged. 

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  


byul was coming back. byul was coming back to her and yong wasn’t sure whether to feel joyful or anxious. happy because the woman she’d come to unexpectedly love was returning from a battle she believed to be impossible to win. fearful because of the news she’d bring. the soldiers who’d been lost. if byulyi was coming back it meant that they’d lived to tell the tale with some hundred of men against a thousand japanese. 

it did not seem all that plausible. and yet, yongsun did not believe that the moon warrior would be the type of person who would run away from a fight. if they had retreated, then it meant the enemy was already inside their kingdom while she bathed, ate, and slept during most of her days in jeolla, too far away from home for her comfort. 

combat lessons aside, the princess did not think herself to be a true warrior. nevertheless, she should be back in the capital leading, something she was unsure if her father was doing. all they had done up until then was for the greater good of the kingdom, trying to form alliances in preparation for the invasion. one alliance had been formed with gangwon. jeolla was still on shaky terms, depending on the fate of hyejin’s father. the rest was still loyal to her father, the king. 

_if we just would’ve had more time_. yong would ponder continuously as she tried to keep herself busy during the day. jeolla, most specifically jeonju where they were currently taking shelter, was most definitely not as grand as hanseong or wonju. the gardens were plain and simple. the decoration old and lacking. the predominant smell of salt was starting to make her dizzy. it was still better than stepping out in the busy streets and sniffing the odor of mud mixed with horse shit though. 

how this province had been long abandoned by not only her father but the many predecessors in her family was still a mystery to yongsun. her kingdom depended on the food the province produced and yet this land was often overlooked by the royal family. 

despite this, the princess did not really believe it was a good reason for the lady of jeolla to be so cold towards her. they’d dine together out of pure courtesy. it was something that ladies were expected to do after all. especially a lady in hyejin’s position, welcoming a regal for the first time in centuries. it still did not mean she enjoyed it. 

“lovely weather today.” 

“it’s always the same around here.” hyejin would reply while chewing on her smoked fish and baked potatoes. the regular dish for dinner that yongsun was getting quite tired of. 

the following night, yong would try again. 

“the palace is very homely.” 

the compliment would only be met with a shrug and a mumble of, “i guess.” 

the princess never thought she’d miss the chaotic energy of her betrothed so much in her life. namjoon felt awkward. jungkook did too. the lady of jeolla was beautiful, there was no denying. black, short hair. dark eyes that felt like they could swallow you whole with nothing but a quick glimpse. her skin was tanned because of the sun and her constant life out in the ocean. 

hyejin was the living symbol of her house. she was fierce. witty. puzzling. and yet, yong had heard her laughing behind closed doors once. why? she was unsure. mayhaps a joke a servant had made. maybe because she was simply insane. the melodic sound of her laughter showed yongsun that there was another side that the lady was refusing to display. 

it gave her a little purpose while she was there. something to not make her feel as useless as she waited for moonbyul to return so they could strategize on their next move. yong thought of herself as selfish for temporarily exchanging her mission of defending the country for just trying to figure ahn hyejin out. 

the country did have a king though. as slow as her father was, yong was sure that he would try to do something upon the inevitable proof that there was indeed a foreign invasion going on. he’d certainly send men to try to stop the enemy and jimin would do his part from gangwon. she assumed she could have a day off from the war. 

that's what byulyi would do, right? 

the palace did not exactly have a great solar up in a beautiful tower like her father’s back in hanseong. instead, hyejin would read outside in what the locals called a garden. to yong, it was more like a big space with nothing but tall, uncut grass, and some fig trees here and there. at the lack of a proper terrace, hyejin had opted for sitting under the shade of one tree, deeply focused on her reading. 

so it wasn’t something odd for her to be so surprised when yongsun appeared behind her with an excited _hello!_

“by the gods!” hyejin yelped. her book went flying. her features changed for a minute before going back to looking stern. yong counted that as a win for the day. another facet for the lady of jeolla. startled. 

the afternoons in the coastal land were hot. humid. almost unbearable. what hyejin would do, yong had noticed, was riding to the sea and jumping in with nothing but her smallclothes on. she did not mind that there were others around. children bathing, men fishing, women collecting seashells. they all saw her lady as a part of one of them and welcomed her in, some kids trying to climb on her back so she could swim around and carry them as if they were on a boat. far away, melting under the sun in her expensive clothing from the capital, yong finally saw the smile behind the laughter. 

at night yong had decided to change into something lighter. now she understood why the people around dressed so freely. the heat gave her no choice but to wear a simple, sleeveless jeogori and a loose blue skirt. the shortest one that she had, grazing her knees. with no pockets, she’d opted to carry byul’s letter in her hand. she had not let go of it since she got it. not even for namjoon to revise and check if it was indeed from moonbyul. 

deep inside yong knew it was her. 

the princess made her way through the narrow halls of the palace. it was dinner time for another night and yongsun was ready to see another side of hyejin again. it’d been fun so far. it was the best time she’d spent since byulyi left her back on the hill all those weeks ago. at last, she was starting to feel like she was under a strange sense of home in the modest manor. 

doors were opened for her to step into the throne room so she could meet namjoon like she’d been doing all the prior nights, before heading towards the great (not so great) hall so they could eat. 

instead of namjoon, though, she saw moonbyul. 

the woman was still wearing her armor. dry blood and mud covered it, but even still the wolf sigil stood out. the helmet was off, discarded a few feet away. the sword was still inside its scabbard, untouched. byul’s hair was stuck to her cheeks and forehead. her sweat forming a tiny puddle on the floor as she looked down deep in thought. her hands were dirty. her face was too. it was red. way too red. it was so sunburnt that byulyi winced with every blink. 

and yet she looked beautiful. 

“byul.” was all that yongsun could whisper before running to her. at the sound of her voice, no matter how low, byulyi immediately stood and opened her arms, allowing yong to easily jump into them completely speechless. 

“i’m alright.” the brown-haired woman reassured. voice raspy. as if she hadn’t drank a drop of water in days. “i’m alright.” 

they remained like that. yong’s hands clenching desperately at byul’s clothing, no matter how nasty they were, and with moonbyul’s fingers running through her hair, whispering sweet words in her ear. the embrace lated too long for the others in the room. it still felt like just a second to yongsun when they were forced to part ways. it was then that she realized that namjoon was trying to comfort a weeping taehyung. 

her face turned bracing for the worst, still in byul’s arms. 

a man was lying on the floor with others gathered around him, crying. his eyes were hollow. stench invading the room. body beginning to rot. skin between purple and green. still, a woman seemed to be resting her head on his chest, choked sobs escaping her lips as she gripped at the man’s clothes tightly, thinking that perhaps that might bring him back to life. 

that’s when yongsun saw another side of hyejin she wished she had not.

sorrow.

╔═════☩══♛══☩═════╗

yongsun dragged byulyi to her chambers after nobody gave any directions of what to do. the now official lady of jeolla was too grief-stricken to assume her position and provide proper accommodations to the just returning soldiers. tae was the one who took it upon himself to give some of the men a resting place. a large room with mattresses on the floor. it still was better than sleeping on the solid ground. 

her wife-to-be was too tired to walk on her own, so yongsun had to half-carry her through most of the way until namjoon intervened and lifted her into his strong arms until they reached the room. half out of it, byulyi still showed some appreciation at having a soft bed under her. 

“help me remove her armor.” yong called to the handmaidens she’d been assigned in panic. the women did as they were told until byulyi hand rested atop yong’s. 

“only you.” she requested. 

the servants waited. after some hesitation, yongsun gave them a confident nod which was all they needed to step out of the room, closing the door behind them. 

shaky fingers started to try to undo byul’s armor. in all honesty, yongsun had never had to deal with armor before. she’d only seen some. she’d seen how it was made. she’d seen knights put it on but had never had to take any off. even when she disguised herself as a man to try and train, she wore light armor with not as many strings and knots as this one. 

with some struggle she was finally able to discard the front that was made out of leather and chainmail, the heaviest part. 

it fell with a loud _clank_ and byulyi relaxed immediately. underneath, the shirt that used to be white was now yellow. the belt followed, yongsun now working with more determination than before. the sword was as heavy as she remembered it being. the noise it made when it was unceremoniously dropped was louder than the one the chest armor had made. the ironed skirt was next. the boots. the chainmail protecting the shoulders. the arms. 

she was gasping as she finished. tired but successful. byulyi sat in only her dirty shirt and equally filthy bajis. the combination of smells reminded her of outside in the streets. except it was worse. the strong smell of blood made it all worse. 

running to the back of the room, yongsun emerged with the wooden bathtub she’d been using since she got there. it was small but it would do. there was some water that the servants had left heating on the fire so it would be lukewarm for yong after she got back from dinner. 

instead, yongsun took out two handkerchiefs from the closet and carried the heavy cauldron to the tub. she got burnt. yong was sure that the sting would be more painful in the morning but she did not care. once the bathtub was full, yong sighed in relief. 

“stay.” byulyi asked her. borderline begged yong in that throaty voice she loved so much. it stopped her dead in her tracks as she was heading to the door so she could give the woman some privacy. “stay with me.” 

“i’m-” the princess started. they’d kissed. they’d slept in the same bed. but they’d never seen the other one completely naked. not really. despite the tense situation outside the four walls, all that was making yongsun grow nervous was the idea of seeing moonbyul without clothes on. 

“it’s alright.” she seemed to repeat the words she’d said earlier. “i want you to stay.” 

with a gulp and a nod, yongsun walked back towards byul. the warrior woman winced as she stood up, legs shaking in exhaustion. 

“put your arms up.” 

she followed the instructions with another wince. as much as yong enjoyed having moonbyul finally listen to her orders, it pained her to see her like this. with the shirt off, yong looked down to see her skin as equally burnt as her face. red all over, with welts and rashes on her chest, her shoulders, and down her abdomen. 

her ribs were popping out. it was clear that she’d lost a lot of weight. it came to no surprise that byul was feeling so weak at the moment. after the bath, yongsun would make sure to bring her something, anything, out of the kitchen. it didn’t matter that she wasn’t allowed back there. she’d try to sneak in somehow.

yongsun wanted to cry. a finger attempted to brush over a wound only to have byul fail to repress a painful groan. 

“i’m sorry.” yong apologized in a whisper. her hands continued down, undoing the laces of her bajis, hair hiding her most of her face so she could hide any sign of the strange combination of heartache and curiosity that was beginning to overwhelm her body. 

when the bajis and smallclothes were finally off, yongsun could do little to look up. instead, her vision stayed where it was. exploring every inch of moonbyul’s exposed skin. no matter the trauma her form had experienced, yongsun still found it to be dazzling to look at. 

the lady in question did not seem to mind. content of finally being free of her confinement, byul only limited her actions to resting her forehead atop yong’s. with her eyes closing, she almost fell backwards into slumber. 

“no. no. come on.” yong said, finally waking from her self-induced trance. with tiny steps moonbyul was finally able to make it to the tub. the water had gone lukewarm and was starting to get cold, which was what the moon lady wanted the most. 

the moan of contentment she let us as she sank into the tub made yongsun’s heart skip a bit. unwillingly, the feeling was pushed aside so she could help moonbyul bathe with the softest towel she was able to find. 

“what happened?” the princess finally asked after a while, after byulyi had finally relaxed a bit. 

“we arrived too late. the japanese were already gone. we could only rescue some survivors.” 

the agony in byul’s voice made her heart ache. but she still had to push forward. the worst scenario was true. the enemy was already in their country and would most likely bring reinforcements any time soon. 

“the lord of jeolla.” 

“he was already gone when we got there. i assume he was on the defensive frontlines.” 

“so the ships-” the sentence was not able to be finished. yong knew what was going to happen with the warships. hyejin had proposed a deal with one condition only. one condition that they had not been able to fulfill. “we have to get back to hanseong.” 

“we do. we leave at dawn.” 

“you have to get some rest.” yong protested. 

“you have a kingdom to lead.” 

“my father is in the capital. he’s capable enough of overseeing an army while we go back.” the proposition was waved off as she cleaned byul’s face as delicately as she could with the towel. 

“yong.” byul said, again in a whisper, hands resting on her wrists to stop her movements. “please. get my shirt.” 

“why?” 

“please.” 

the piece of clothing was retrieved not without the princess eying it warily. if moonbyul had received news from her father in hanseong it should’ve been one of the first things she should’ve said upon arrival. a letter from the capital was of such high importance, war or not.

“come here.” 

another order that yong followed suspiciously. she sat on the floor next to the tub as moonbyul searched for something inside the front and side pockets of the shirt, not without grimacing at the pain that moving caused her limbs. 

she finally took the item out from one of the sides. 

it was a ring. a regal ring. 

it was her father’s ring. 

“byul.” yong began. “where did you get this from?” 

“i’m sorry, yong.” a breathy answer. “he was there. your father was there after all. he tried to defend the city. he tried to stop the invasion. he might have been looking for you.” 

everything seemed to suddenly go blurry for yongsun. her feet pushed her back until her spine hit the bed but even still she wouldn’t stop moving. her brain was not controlling her body anymore. panic was beginning to arise in her chest once again. 

“yong.” the sound of her name reached her ears. out of the corner of her eyes she could see moonbyul putting the same old dirty shirt before limping to her aid. she wanted to chastise her. now that she was wearing the same garment she’d have to wash herself all over again. 

the words did not come out though. her tongue failed her. so did her eyes. or so she believed when everything went black. 

she was sure she’d heard a crash. a crash followed by feet running into the room. byulyi standing up. words being exchanged. it seemed like a dream and reality all at once. no. not a dream. one of her nightmares. except this one she was finding impossible to wake up to. moonbyul was not there to comfort her either. 

not when she tapped the side of the bed. her presence was there. her spirit could feel it. she was just not on the same bed and it bothered her to no end. temporarily forgetting everything, yongsun sat on the bed in frustration, about to berate byulyi for leaving her alone as she slept. 

moonbyul was there. watching her. in front of her bed. but behind her were also namjoon. jungkook. jin. knights. lords. ladies. soldiers. servants. the tiny sense of comfortness she’d come to feel with byulyi had rapidly disappeared. 

yong looked around in confusion before casting her sight down to her hand. there she saw the ring on her finger. her father’s ring. and then she remembered. 

“my queen.” the people in the room roared in unison, dropping to their knees.

yongsun’s eyes examined the room in confusion. just that morning she’d been only the crown princess. still important, of course, but nothing compared to a queen. not the same power. not the same responsibilities. it was everything she’d been trying to run away from her entire life but it had somehow reached her despite her attempts at untangling herself from her destiny. 

her father’s death meant a new beginning for the kingdom. a new leader to look up to and die for. to the now queen it only meant drowning.

byulyi was the only one left standing. moonbyul’s look was sad. yong’s was desperate. 

_don’t_. she silently begged. 

please don’t let this change anything between us. 

with a defeated sigh, byul dropped to the floor too.

“my queen.” 

everything would change. 

_there is no way of stopping it now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well this was exciting to write! now i can really say that the story will start to unfold. the chapters have been getting a bit shorter now that most of the fun times are over, but i'll try to be consistent with the number of pages i write. i hope you liked this chapter and that you're staying safe out there. 
> 
> pls stay home and be safe. also, if you can, stream hwasa's new song "orbit" and let's support yong's solo! <3


	16. changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “she’s the queen but you are not. you should’ve married her while you had the chance.” 

**MOON BYULYI**

  
  


the mood was off. moonbyul had always been quite sensitive to energy and the spiritual side of those around her. she could feel something was off. yong had been crowned queen and the word had begun to spread across the kingdom. it was only a matter of time until it reached hanseong, of course. the warrior didn’t have an issue with yongsun becoming queen. on the opposite, she was happy the woman she loved was going to become a part of history, the first queen of korea in years. 

on the other hand, becoming queen meant everything changing around her. the way people treated her included. last night byulyi saw the smallest change in namjoon’s behaviour towards his own cousin and could only close her eyes and wonder what might be expected from her moving forward. 

she’d gotten a taste of what that might be when she was pushed back by an ahn guard as she was headed to yong’s chambers. 

“i wish to see yongsun.” moonbyul had declared in a rather loud manner, hoping yong would hear her. it was useless though. if yong was asleep, there was nothing in the world that would wake her. 

“the queen is not seeing visitors at the moment.” the man had replied, the stern tone making it seem like there was no room for further discussion. 

“how do you know that?” 

“her grace is asleep. it would be rude to awaken her. do so, and you will be thrown into the dungeons.” 

“you don’t even have dungeons.” 

the comment seemed to make the man angrier. taking his pike, the guard pointed at moonbyul with its blade. it wasn’t that sharp, byul could judge it so from afar, but she still did not want to engage in close combat with a stupid ahn soldier who would most likely call for backup. 

“do you happen to know who i am?” 

“lady byulyi of the moon house. aye, i’m aware. it doesn’t really matter now, does it? if her grace does not command me to open this door, i won’t.” 

starting a fight in a foreign province that has no love for her family was a dumb idea. byulyi knew so, and as impulsive as she was, yongsun had taught her that sometimes in life she had to dig right into her soul and be patient. just like yong was with her most of the times when she was being annoying. 

reluctantly, the warrior turned on her heels and left. her room was smaller than yong’s. the bed was warm. it was a perk that she knew she would’ve been thankful for if they were in the north. in the south, however, with the natural humidity of the area the bed was less than inviting. a window was the only thing that helped with ventilation, as small as it was.

the last thing byulyi wanted to see after getting to her room so she could have a decent bath was jin blocking said small window. 

“she’s the queen now.” he started. not caring about her friend being in there, moonbyul took off the dirty shirt she’d slept in, reaching instead for a simply grey jeogori with puffy sleeves. 

“i wish everybody would stop reminding me.” 

“she’s the queen but you are not. you should’ve married her while you had the chance.” 

“weddings are really not that easy to plan in the middle of a war, are they? how would you like a samurai to officiate the ceremony?” 

with a frustrated groan, seokjin finally moved away from the window, letting the warm breeze enter the bedroom. his sword dangled right next to his dagger. he scarcely used the blades, but jin was always ready for anything and everything to happen at once. “don’t you care anymore?” 

“i care about her. that’s all.” byulyi shrugged. she jumped on the bed, not really mindind about the heat anymore. there was some bread and cheese waiting for her on the small table next to the bed. she chewed on it gleefully. 

“i love your family, you know that. i convinced your father about this match so your family could finally become something more than bags of bones to the kims, sending you to sacrifice your lives for them.” 

“yong is different.” 

“is she?” seokjin took the only chair in the room, a simple aged wooden stool that might or might not give into his heavy weight. “byul, we’ve known each other since we were kids. you know as much as i do that you falling in love with random women does not always end up well.” 

“those women only wanted me for my family name or my gold. yong is  _ the  _ queen. what could she possibly want from me?” 

“your life. she wants you to win this war for her, doesn’t she?” 

yongsun had told her so back in hanseong. byulyi recalled perfectly. but she also recalled how unwilling yong had been when it came to leaving her at the hill in sangju. how she had also told her that she wanted  _ her _ . 

“i just need to talk to her.” 

“no guard is letting anyone through those doors until she awakens. i tried too.” 

“we’ll be waiting for a long time then.” 

a knock on the door interrupted their conversation. without waiting for an answer, the boy they’d rescued back in busan entered the room, a beam on his lips. his skin was tanned, dimples on his cheeks popping up proudly and black hair parted in the middle.

“apologies to interrupt. lady hyejin has requested a meeting at the great hall.” 

“jung hoseok, correct?” byulyi asked the lad after he’d given the message, turning to head back where he’d come from.

“yes, my lady.” 

“you’re a healer, is that right?” 

“i am, my lady.”

“are you a part of our small council now?” 

confused, hoseok shook his head, smile still not leaving his features. “no. i don’t believe so.” 

“would you like to be?” 

╔═════☩══♛══☩═════╗

  
  


“ i would really appreciate it if you stopped affiliating random people we barely know to our small council.” 

jin’s reprimands were nothing but music to her ears after what he’d said in the morning. annoying yong was one thing, she did it to express her pure love. annoying jin was something else that was completely different, she did it just to pester him. not that he wouldn’t return the favor eventually, but the momentary enjoyment was too great to ignore.

“he’s a healer. we’re in a war and now he’s with us. did you think i was going to leave him here to join ahn hyejin? what use would he be here?” 

“i’m just happy to help.” jung hoseok said from behind the pair, embracing them by the shoulders with him in the middle. 

“besides, he’s a little ball of sunshine.” 

“i thought we already had one.” 

“jungkook is yong’s little ball of sunshine. taehyung is hyejin’s little ball of sunshine. we deserve our own as well.” 

“i was talking about me.” 

byul’s mocking snort was covered by the creaking sound of the great hall’s doors opening to welcome the trio. the palace was old and with all the weird noises the place made, it felt like it would come tumbling down at any given moment. 

jungkook was already in his seat sheepishly staring at all the old, wise men loyal to house ahn. byulyi couldn’t help but scrunch up her nose at the odd smell of, well, old men. she was not too keen on male odour, only tolerating jin because he did actually bathe. 

they took their respective seats right across jungkook who looked nothing but relieved to see familiar faces. the lad noticed hoseok with a curious arched eyebrow. the healer waved enthusiastically. 

before any words could be exchanged the doors opened again to reveal a clearly still sleepy yongsun in a white, silky robe and barefoot. her hair was disheveled and her makeup was sloppy. byul just knew that in the end, the dumbass guard at her door had had his ass kicked by namjoon so he could drag the one and only queen of korea out of bed. 

gods, how much she wished she could’ve seen that. 

everyone stood at once, bowing and some even kneeling at yongsun’s poorly kept appearance. she looked quite out of it, but byulyi knew better than to go to her aid. as she walked past her, however, yongsun made sure to slap byul in the back of her head lightly. 

briefly forgetting herself, byulyi chuckled and stood to grab and pull yongsun to her by the wrist. in the bat on an eyelash, four soldiers were on her, two ahns and two kims. men that she’d led to and from busan were now restraining her back, two daggers pointed at her neck. 

it’d been somewhat like that back when yongsun was a princess in hanseong, but she did have to admit that while she’d been apprehended by namjoon in the capital, nobody had ever pressed a knife against her jugular. 

it was not a feeling she enjoyed so far. 

“let her go! at once!” she heard yongsun shout. the queen was already fully awake, it seemed, and it was made obvious when the soldiers dropped her to the ground, knees and elbows colliding with the not-so-clean carpet. 

“please do remember that touching her grace in any violent or threatening form is a death sentence, byul. not just a slap on the back of your hand like it used to be.” it sounded like joon’s voice but different. something amiss, as if he’d changed after yong was crowned. 

the captain of the queensguard was never too keen on her but he also never sounded like that. 

_ must be taking his duty as a captain more seriously now, i suppose. _ byulyi thought miserably as she stood with a little help from yongsun. 

“are you alright?” 

“you’ve done worse.” the brown-haired lady joked to no avail. yongsun’s eyes were apologetic, her face showing nothing but worry. despite things not being even close to being fine, byul decided to lie just so her beloved could be at peace. “yong, i’m unharmed. don’t fret.” 

a small chuckle was heard coming from jin. 

“thank you for the help.” 

at the vague shrug from her friend, byul punched him on his arm, way harder than yong had hit her. jin’s swallowed grunt echoed in the great hall, much to jungkook’s amusement. 

“i  _ can  _ hit  _ you _ .” 

“yes?” replied jin, his patience having run out since the very morning. “well, i can hit you too.” 

before the lad could throw his chair back to face off agaisn’t lady moonbyul however, the doors opened. ahn hyejin finally appeared, followed by a dashing taehyung in his white armor. 

she looked almost like yongsun, except without the title of queen. her short hair was messy. for the first time since they arrived, yong was seeing her without make-up on. her body was covered by nothing by a simple red dress with thin yellow shoulder-straps and a golden belt, a lion in the buckle. 

hyejin looked more like the queen, if byulyi were to be honest, but bringing it up would make her earn nothing but a harder blow from yong. and now that she couldn’t retaliate without losing her head, she was in deep trouble. 

yongsun made her way to her chair, in-between jungkook and namjoon, facing byulyi. it was nice seeing the princess - no, no. the queen. it was nice seeing the queen at last, after the terrible night they’d both gone through. she still looked a little bit broken inside, eyes puffy, cheeks and nose red. obvious dried tears on her cheeks. 

despite all of it, she still smiled at her when their eyes met.

“your grace.” hyejin mumbled with a little bow. just enough to be courteous without going down to her knees like some had done. the lady of jeolla also looked quite tired, even more so than yongsun. 

after all, she’d had to see her father’s corpse rotting in the middle of the palace. that was not something one recovers from in a night, byul supposed. she couldn’t really imagine what hyejin and yong must be truly feeling after not only losing their fathers amid a bloody battle, but also at the prospect of being pushed to a position of leadership all of the sudden without immediate family to aid them. 

at least byul still had her mother. all the way back in the north, leading the province while her and her father were away, but there she still was. alive. breathing. and so was her father. or so she liked to believe. 

“lady hyejin,” yong responded immediately in a soft voice. “lady moonbyul.” 

“lady moonbyul.” hyejin had no other choice but to repeat the greeting, not really paying much mind to the warrior. 

“my lady. my queen.” the title felt nice in her tongue. calling yongsun a queen didn’t seem hard to do at all. if that were the only change they could’ve been subjected to, she would’ve been glad to take it in a heartbeat. barely out of bed and with her face all swollen, it did not matter, yong still looked like royalty in her eyes. 

“i’m truly sorry for your loss, lady hyejin.” 

“as i am for yours, your grace. it seems like after all this time we finally found something we have in common, as sad as it is.” 

uncomfortable silence filled the room afterwards. byul could hear seokjin’s breathing next to her and it was driving her mad. hoseok was tapping the table with his fingers. namjoon’s eyes would navigate the whole room in search of a possible threat. jungkook would try to get away from an old man who was slowly starting to fall asleep on his shoulder. tae would swing back and forth as he stood behind hyejin.

her eyes found yong’s once again and in them, a plea that a queen was not fit to say out loud. sighing, byulyi spoke up. “lady ahn hyejin, about the ships.” 

“it’s always been about the ships, hasn’t it, lady moonbyul?” 

“it’s the only way you and her grace can not only save the country but also avenge your fathers.” 

“what do you know about vengeance, lady moonbyul? do tell. about losing a father. all you moons do is lead others into battle as a sacrifice but you never actually fight. you strategize from your pretty grey tents and leave the dirty work for the rest of your martyrs.” 

_ breathe. _

“i truly don’t think that a southerner knows anything about how us northerners lead our battles. especially because the south never fights their own battles, don’t they? you complain about the realm never paying any mind to you when it’s been us who have repelled any threat that’s come to your land.” 

“we might just begin then. i shall keep my ships and defend my own land like i’ve always wanted to so we do not depend on your dirty strategies for having innocents slaughtered for nothing but your house’s glory.” 

“you’ll soon be serving a japanese king then. you won’t be able to defeat them by yourself. you know that.” 

“neither will you.” 

“my ladies, please.” yongsun appealed from her side of the table. “a civil war is the last thing this country needs right now. we must unite.” 

“unite out of spite, your grace?” hyejin asked without taking her sight off of byulyi. 

“unite out of love for our country.” 

“i love my country, your grace. just not enough to follow the lead of a moon.” 

byulyi stood up suddenly, making her side of the table stand beside her. the ahns stood as well, unsheathing their swords which the moon soldiers were quick to do as well. yong remained in her seat knowing that if she stood, her men would do so too. her eyes were as pleading as they had been since the meeting began, and byul couldn’t do much but give in. 

“as you please. we’ll win this war without your help then.” the response was directed to hyejin before turning to yong with a small bow. “your grace,” byul said and took her leave. jin could do little more than roll his eyes in frustration, face burying quickly in his hands. 

slowing down her pace as she exited and the doors closed behind her, byulyi could hear the last few bits of the conversation.

“lady hyejin, i understand your anger towards my predecessors but i assure you i won’t be the same as them. i’ve seen, first hand, what you and your people are like and how much help you deserve from the rest of the realm. i guarantee you my protection and attention if you can help us win this war.” 

“if you order for my ships to be yours, your grace, they are.” 

“i don’t want to force you give up what’s rightfully yours, lady hyejin. i’m not my father.” 

there was a pause. without any clear sighting of what was happening, byulyi could only imagine that the lady of jeolla had been left quite speechless. 

“that’s why i give you the choice. please, let us have the ships and together we will defeat the enemy. if not, we shall be on our way and no harm will come to you by the rest of the provinces loyal to me.” 

silence again. 

for a moment, byul wished she hadn’t left so suddenly. witnessing yong take on her role and lead like the queen she was is truly something magical to her. it gives her flashbacks of happier times when yong wanted nothing more than to run away from her responsibilities. the sudden change of a wild princess to a patriotic queen worried for her subjects touched her heart deeply. 

she truthfully wanted nothing more than to defend her queen with her entire being. 

“i need to protect my people, your grace. i’m sorry.” 

it was the last thing she heard before stepping away from any response and into the dark hallways that awaited to swallow her whole. 

╔═════☩══♛══☩═════╗

  
  


if the days in jeolla were bad, then the nights were worse. the heat could barely be dealt with. moonbyul knew so as she tossed and turned on her already warm bed. she’d really thought about sleeping on the floor, guessing it would be colder, but it was the same temperature no matter what. 

instead, she’d asked a servant for some cold water. she didn’t think it would be possible for anyone to find anything cold in this land, but it seemed like the servants knew their way around more than she did. cold water was delivered to her in a pewter washbowl, something byul was very thankful for, rewarding the handmaiden with five coins of gold. 

only her pair of white bajis were on as she soaked a piece of cloth in the cold water and ran it down her neck, shoulders, arms, and torso. bruises were still very visible, just like her ribs. as a distraction for the lack of sleep, byulyi decided to count them over ten times. 

none were broken, miracuously. 

the water had helped and she was now starting to get sleepy, more comfortable in the now damp mattress. her eyelids were beginning to drop heavily until she heard a noise coming from the small window. without much strength to grab her sword and fend for herself, the warrior only turned in exhaustion. 

yongsun was stuck in the window. 

the queen of korea was stuck in her small window. half her body inside the room, half her body out. 

“do you mind?” yong asked, a tiny bit angry. seeing byul sitting there, mouth hanging open, cloth long forgotten on the ground, must have been quite annoying while she couldn’t move and was at risk of being caught. 

“yes. of course.” byulyi said, finally snapping out of her trance and throwing on a short robe that she believed was jin’s, due to the amount of flowery patterns on it. why she did it, she wasn’t sure. yong had seen her completely naked the night before, so what was the point, really? 

pushing the thought to the back of her mind, byul rushed to help her queen. 

“i’m going to pull you in, okay?” 

“as if i would’ve asked you to push me out. yes, pull me in, moonbyul.” 

they tried to keep it down as much as they could, between byul laughing and yong whining. not that anybody would be out guarding byul’s door, but a patrol guard could be out in the gardens and see yongsun’s ass sticking out of a window. 

with a final yank, the queen was finally inside the chambers and on top of byul right on the floor. another bruise to add to her body, surely. if moonbyul started collecting them maybe she’d be able to become famous on her own, not just by her name. 

“how did you make it look so easy back in hanseong?” yong asked, sitting back. as somewhat crushing as it was, byulyi kind of missed her weight on top of hers. it was oddly comforting. 

“it was a balcony, not a window. also, i’m better than you.” 

the jab that was delivered to her already hurting chest was retaliated, at last. in the privacy of her bedroom, with no soldiers pointing a sword at her, she was able to poke yong’s cheeks rather harshly. 

“stop that.” the queen complained, failing miserably at sulking after a giggle escaped her. 

staring at her adoringly, byulyi couldn't help but ask. “how are you feeling? about...all of this.” 

the mood seemed to change and the youngest woman almost regretted asking. she couldn’t help it though. she needed to know what was going on through yong’s mind. the previous night she’d been heartbroken, even passed out. how she now looked as fine as always could’ve been a mystery to everyone else but not to her.

she knew yong was good at hiding her feelings, preferring not to openly discuss them. her troubles were her own, just like her emotions and thoughts. or they used to be. byulyi knew that if asked by her, yongsun would pour her heart out and beseech advice and assurance. things that she would always find in her. 

a tear threatened to escape but yong prevented it from doing so. “it’s just too much all of the sudden. even if he wasn’t a good king, he was my father. i’ll miss him gravely.” 

“you can cry if you want to, yong.” 

“no. i’m tired of crying.” 

the fact that they were both still sitting on the floor with byul’s robe half open was irrelevant to the pair now. byul took yong’s hand into her own, an action that she knew they were more than used to doing by then. it was comforting, it connected them in a way that nothing else could. 

“i’m sorry.” 

“it’s alright. i’m fine, moonbyul. i’ll be fine.” 

“how are your nightmares?” 

“horrible. as usual.” 

“i wish you would tell me about them.” 

“i can’t.” 

it was strange. yong’s denial of sharing her dreams and nightmares scared her a bit. there were not many with the gift of experiencing prophetic dreams, but those who did were always in fear of speaking of them because of the real terror they hid. 

the kim lineage wasn’t really known for having the gift, though. and even if they did, it was highly improbable for yongsun to also have the talent of interpreting her dreams. one thing was seeing and another was being able to know what they meant. maybe that’s what was truly troubling her after all. if she could only tell. 

“i’m sorry about today.” 

the apology brought her back from her daze. 

“it’s not your fault. hyejin doesn’t like me and i’m not very patient. you are, though. i’m glad that you are our queen instead of me.” 

“you’re a queen too, byul-ah.” 

the idea made byulyi laugh. “i’m not. we’re not married. not that i care about the title. i only care about you being my wife. you’ll always be the one and only queen of korea.” 

she could see the sadness in yongsun’s face. she wished that in some way, she could reach inside yong’s heart and beat the shit out of that sadness that was making her beloved pout. it angered her as much as it softened her. 

“we can get married.” 

“we’d need a ceremony in hanseong as per tradition. hosted by an official member from the local temple, guests, witnesses, a parade so the smallfolk can see. i don’t think it’s a good idea unless you want the japanese to crash our wedding.” 

“that’s for - that’s for the title, though.” yong stammered. her sadness had turned into nervousness and it was making byulyi feel unease as well. 

“it is.” 

“would you like to -” a pause. a meek sniff. a finger tucking a strand of loose, already growing blonde hair behind her ear. “you asked for my hand the first time. well, demanded more than asked but it was really a wish of yours to marry me. so it’s only fair for me to ask for your hand now, byul-ah.” 

confusion invaded moonbyul’s features. she usually knew what was going through the eldest head but now? she had no clue. had her father’s death affected her that much? was she becoming insane? the last thing korea needed was another crazy leader. 

all befuddlement disappeared when she saw a ring in front of her eyes. it was old. a bit worn out. but it was yong’s. “this ring was gifted to me when i was younger. it means a lot.” 

“then you should keep it.” 

“i want you to have it.” 

“it won’t fit me. it’ll slip out of my finger easily.” 

“are you saying my fingers are fat? take it.” 

the chuckle that came out of byul earned her another set of punches on the arm and shoulder. the pain didn’t really matter to her anymore. the fact that this was happening filled her senses and her mind, her soul. it filled her with nothing but love and adoration for the woman sitting in front of her. 

it was true that the match had been made to finally put the moons in a powerful position after years of having been used by the kims. but after today, byulyi guessed, that’s the same way the rest of the houses felt towards the moons. it was nothing more than a game. there would always be one more powerful than the other, and when the chain of powerful humans ended, the gods began. 

it could not be prevented and it could not go away. it could be improved, but not removed completely. she would always sacrifice her life for a kim at the end of the day. not out of loyalty, like her ancestors had, but out of love. she had wanted to run away from her duty of giving up all that she had for a kim and ended up right where she had started.

_ destiny. _

they’d both wanted to run away from each other only to fail over and over again. yong wanted to reign out of love for her people and for her. byulyi wanted to fight out of love for her people and for her. the bond that united the moons and the kims had changed its nature and that, byul assumed, was better than nothing. 

making a decision, byulyi untangled a long necklace hiding poorly behind her loose robe. 

it was a silver moon. yong’s ring was a golden sun. 

“come here.” byulyi whispered. the queen did as she was told and faced away from her warrior. the silver moon was placed around her neck, a click behind her ears making sure it stayed put. “this time of my life has been greater because i’ve been with you, yong. meeting you is the best thing that happened in my life. let’s stay together forever. in war and peace. gold or no gold. i’ll protect you from anything and i’ll love you until the day i die.” 

before yongsun could turn around she made sure to clear her throat. byul didn’t know if she was being emotional or not. maybe she was. if she was, she would try to hide it. not that she’d succeed much under byul’s gaze. 

“it’s kind of awkward saying this out loud.” the queen started, making both of the giggle stupidly. “out of all the times we spent together in hanseong, i do believe this journey has been the most memorable for us, despite the ugliness of what’s happening out there. it’s been horrible and exhausting but you’ve been with me and it’s made it so much easier. i hope that this place will still be standing one day so we can come back, me and you. together until we die.” 

with those words, a ring slipped into byulyi’s finger. it wasn’t loose. it was perfect. as if it’d been made for her all along. 

“can we kiss now?” it dawned on her that they hadn’t kissed in a long time. it was such a phantom idea that she could barely remember how right yong’s lips felt against hers. when they touched, it felt like the first time. 

opposite to their times in hanseong where their kisses had been rushed and passionate, this one was soft and slow. now that they were aware of how quickly everything could end, how fast they could be pulled apart, the unhurried pace of it was deliciously calming. 

pulling her towards her, yong finally rested stradling byul’s lap, hands peacefully resting on bony but strong shoulders. byul’s touch caressed yong’s cheek, her neck, her arms. it travelled all the way down her spine and back up, softly, cherising. 

moonbyul felt her queen arch her back under her touch, inviting her to do more. challenging her to do more. their kisses were still lazy, lips grazing each other, but hands grew more impatient. with a visible gulp despite the darkness of the night surrounding them, yong stopped their kissing to rest her forehead agaisn’t her now wife. 

“i’m quite new at this, specifically.” she whispered. 

“tell me what you like.” the reply came. a murmur that yong felt against her lips more than heard. “if you want me. i’ll tell you what i like. because i want you.” 

to close on her final words, byulyi pushed forward and captured yongsun’s lips again. it all became more frenetic. it reminded them of their first days in hanseong on the bed, kissing whatever exposed skin they could find but not daring to do more. 

this time, however, yongsun pushed the robe off of byulyi’s shoulders with her hands immediately flying to cover her chest and breasts. whatever she wanted to do the night before but felt improper, she was going to do now without any restriction or interruption. 

for once since they left the capital, they were utterly alone, just they liked to be. only while being alone was when they truly connected, they felt each other’s souls through their heartbeats. byul could feel yong’s as she kissed her neck. 

“leave a mark,” the queen requested. it sounded more like an order however, one that byulyi was glad to obey. 

“as my queen commands.” 

yong’s thin night clothes were off in a matter of seconds. it was pulled over her head and tossed somewhere across the room. byul knew that would be a problem later, when yong had to leave and go back to her chambers before dawn so her queensguard could find her there, safe and sound.

_ later _ . her mind echoed. 

_ later. everything that’s happening can be left for later.  _

right now every sense of her being was focused on the other woman’s fingers running down her abdomen and back up, brushing a nipple and driving her crazy. byulyi bit her on the shoulders, the neck, the chest, her collarbone. soon enough, yongsun was covered in purple and red marks, something that the warrior took her own time to admire in the scarce moonlight. 

as she worshipped her beauty, yongsun started to rub her center down on her thigh, slowly at first, taking just what she needed. she was beautiful with strands of her loose hair sticking to her face, naked body glistening under the moonshine, drops of sweat running down her chest, lips half parted, moaning, gasping,  _ growling  _ as if she were a wolf instead of a dragon. 

moving a hand from yong’s lower back to her core, byulyi finally touched her. 

“yong.” was everything she was able to hum before venturing back to kissing the woman on top of her. her wife. she didn’t care that it was just a secret. she didn't care that she didn’t hold the title of queen too. all she cared about was the woman, the  _ queen _ , now lowering herself onto her fingers, moaning at the feeling of having byul inside of her. 

“byul.” she replied, voice a little bit more pitchy, a little bit more desperate, but still with such endearment that it made moonbyul want to cry. 

the warrior’s thumb flew to brush against her wife’s clit. she swallowed another moan, another gasp. her free hand softly grasped yongsun’s hip to encourage her rapid movements as her breathing quickened.

“byul.” the name was recited once. twice. thrice. “byul. byul.” 

“i’m here.” moonbyul reassured her wife in a whisper. “i’m here with you. i’ll never leave you. i’ll never leave, yong.” 

and with that, yongsun collapsed against byulyi, breathing hard, her entire body shaking in pleasure and devotion. her wife holding her close to her, as tightly as she possibly could without crushing the queen’s bones. 

they sat there for a while, mayhaps half the night, before moving to the bed with yongsun giggling and ordering byulyi to keep her hands by her head or else she’d stop, something that byulyi obliged to with a smile on her lips.

things might change for the rest, but not to them. not really. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well...that happened. hello! today i present to you 20 pages that i "was not going to write because i hurt my left hand yesterday and i have to use a synthetic cast (which i'm not doing) for at least a week." well. too much for that. i just had this already planned out and was too excited about writing it down so here we are.
> 
> anyway, i hope you all enjoyed this chapter. i decided to throw in some fluff to compensate for the pain of previous chapters. also, nobody is a villain in here. jin is just very political. hyejin is just confused. i've always loved characters that are grey, characters that are not perfect at all and u can see their flaws. so i've tried for most of them to be like that. except for hoseok bc he's just my cinnamon roll who does no wrong. 
> 
> anyhow, be safe everyone! be safe. be happy. i'll keep updating as long as i'm breathing and well. vote for yong and stream spit it out! :D


	17. tribe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “if anything goes wrong, don’t ride south. go north.” hyejin said as the captain stepped away. 

**AHN HYEJIN**

  
  


the northerners were loading the carts and horses they’d been able to find. some had been donated by the humble smallfolk of jeolla, others had been bought. most supplies, such as food, had been a gift for the newly crowned queen though. the people of jeolla hadn’t known who yongsun was when she first entered their city. nothing else but a princess, still important, but not relevant enough for the commoners to know her name, quite clearly. 

now it was different. everywhere she went to now, people bowed and fell to their knees. it was more than utmost respect, hyejin knew. it was fear. whether the newly crowned kim liked to admit it or not, some of her predecessors had been cruel. other hadn’t, but they hadn’t been kind either. 

the queen said she was going to be the change they all expected. true, they had not had a queen for centuries now, the last one so ancient that any trace of her reign was mostly erased from history. so there could be some hope. not that hyejin had hope in yongsun, but she was glad that the people of korea had something to have faith in. 

a change that would most likely come for the ultimate prize. 

the lady of jeolla felt a presence behind her. she didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. it would always be taehyung. she knew him. his mere presence would alert her from miles away. 

when she did turn to greet him, her eyes were not surprised by what she saw either. 

taehyung covered in his usual white armor for captain of the bodyguard with the addition of a bag dangling from one of his shoulders. another small bag on his left hand as the right rested on the scabbard of his sword, nervously picking at it. 

“you’re going with them.” it was an assertion, not a question. she’d known tae would ride to hanseong as soon as the body of her father laid liveless in the center of the great hall, purple and with worms coming out of his mouth. 

“i am.” 

arguing the decision would bring no results. when tae set his mind onto something, nobody was able to make him change his ideals. aware of this, hyejin only limited herself to asking, “any strategy for when you get there?” 

“finding my family. then, i will ride to gangwon to help jimin defend the east.” 

of course he would. none of it came as a shock to hyejin. if anything, it worried her that taehyung could be almost predictable with his actions. it was not a virtue that would be beneficial in the battlefield. 

“so you’ve come to resign from your position as captain and to bid your farewell, i imagine.” 

this brought confusion to her friend. it was almost comical, the way his face would scrunch up in befuddlement. it also brought some questions to her mind though. why would he not resign if he would be off to fight someone else’s war in the blink of an eye? 

shaking his head slightly, tae approached his lady. “i’m not giving up my position as captain. i shall come back after the war is over and resume my duty as your personal bodyguard.” 

as much as it pained her, the probability of all of them returning alive was scarce. taehyung was a good fighter, one of the best she’d seen in her land over the years. it still did not guarantee anything on the battleground. her lord father could not be an example. the man was used to fighting at sea, not on land. but the king was a different story. having been taught by the best teachers in the kingdom and he had still been killed. 

it was all a matter of luck. a matter of whether the gods wanted to have mercy on you or not. she had no doubt that the gods favored taehyung, but she was unsure until what point they’d be able to help him against the japanese.

“hyejin-ah.” tae said when his friend was seemingly lost in thought. “i am coming back.” 

it was unlikely. highly unlikely. still, somehow, hyejin found herself nodding in agreement. 

maybe she could not have faith in kim yongsun, but she would have faith in kim taehyung. 

“i shall wait for you right here where i’m standing then.” at the tallest tower. center window. decaying wood at the top. deteriorating green paint.

“good.” tae smiled. that kind, genuine smile that always made hyejin understand why jimin had fallen so in love with the young man. “about the ships-” 

“i’m thinking about it.” 

the same expression of bewilderment returned to taehyung’s face. “are you?” 

“i know i told moonbyul that i would not give her the ships, and her grace too.” the lady of jeolla said with a sigh as she paced around the empty room. why they had so many empty rooms, she was not sure. maybe because her father used to like peace and quiet, with only a chair and a book to read at dusk. “but truth is, i’m still unsure. if i said that, however, they’d only pressure me further and force me to make a decision i was not ready to make.” 

“well, we’re in the middle of a war, hyejin-ah. i wouldn’t say that time is exactly on our side at the moment.” the small chuckle the lad gave out showed that he was not angry or serious. it made her relax a bit. 

“i’m aware. it would still mean putting my people and my city in danger in exchange for lives that have never truly cared for ours.” 

“your father did believe they were all worth saving, though.” 

“my father was an idealist. always dreaming about how things would get better when they only truly got worse. he would’ve died for anything or anyone if it meant protecting a life.” 

“would you not want to follow his footsteps? unity is the one thing that will save the kingdom in the end.” 

a cloud covered the sun up above, making it easier for hyejin to look down again at the soldiers in the courtyard. moon byulyi was among them now, the queen near as always. a frustrated intake of breath let tae knew all he needed to know. 

“she wasn’t responsible for the death of your father, hyejin-ah. don’t do it for her. do it for your people. don’t allow hatred to overtake everything your father once taught you.” she didn’t respond to this, still too focused on the scenario below, but she sensed the lad approaching with soft steps. “who knows? one day you and lady moonbyul might even have to fight side by side.” 

that did make her snort. “don’t be absurd. i’d jump off my damn ship before that happened.” 

when she turned again, tae was directly in front of her. a pin lying on the palm of his hand. a silver lion with a crown and red eyes. the pin that the captain of her bodyguard would proudly carry on his sleeve. “i want you to keep it safe for me. if you change your mind about the ships, you send it to me and i’ll ride back as quickly as i can.” 

the pin was carefully placed on her extended palm as tae held her hand delicately. tears were threatening to run down her cheeks. she pushed them down but a sniff was unable to be suppressed. the sound of the gates opening in the distance told them their time was up.

without hesitation, hyejin hopped forward and clung to taehyung, embracing him tightly. the young man didn’t take much time to reciprocate. his arms encircled hyejin’s waist as he clutched her against him as firmly as possible. 

the lady of jeolla’s slippers fell to the ground when tae lifted her up from the ground for a few seconds, making her giggle in the process. 

“i’ll be back.” he reassured her, placing her back on her feet. horses were already trotting away and so were carts, some soldiers still behind but starting to walk away too. 

he needed to leave immediately if he wanted to be able to catch up to them. 

“if anything goes wrong, don’t ride south. go north.” hyejin said as the captain stepped away. 

“north?” the idea was strange to taehyung. southerners and northerners didn’t get along. never had, and most likely never will. hyejin herself held nothing but disgust for the northern people. if hyejin wanted him to ride north, she’d need to have a good reason for it. “do you have any plan in mind?” 

checking the opened door from afar to make sure nobody was near earshot, hyejin half-whispered. “there’s a tribe up north, farther away from the moon lands. i’ve read about them in books. they’re not a part of our kingdom or any kingdom whatsoever but they still might be able to help us.” 

“the moons would never consent to such madness. the jurchen tribe is one of, if not, their worst enemy. they prey on their people, pillage, and murder. or so they say.” 

“or so they say.” hyejin echoed. “that’s why i’m not sending a moon. i’m sending you. the jurchen tribe has a lot more soldiers than we do. maybe even better weaponry. they were raised to fight. they’re even better than the moons. if the queen and lady moonbyul really want the kingdom to unite, they better mean the entire kingdom, not just the few provinces they like.” 

taehyung faltered for a moment. the black-haired lady could see the debate going on in his mind as he processed the order. it was dangerous, they both knew. dealing with so-called savages. going against every rule of the kingdom to not interact with the barbarians living up north. attempting to convince not only moon byulyi but also the queen if the jurchens accepted their proposal. 

it was a difficult decision the royals would have to make, just like the one hyejin would have to make with her ships. 

finally, tae nodded. 

“go north. far, far away from the moon lands. ride for days and nights if you must.” 

“how will i find them?” 

“you won’t. they will find you. convince them to take you to their leader. talk to her. her name is jung wheein.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter, im sorry asdad i just couldn't find a way to make this one longer soooo i just preferred to make it concise. finally! i've been wanting for wheein to finally be at least mentioned so i'm glad that she'll finally step into the story. next chapter will be longer, hopefully. thank you so much for your support as always. stay safe, everyone. stay healthy.


	18. deer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “i’m sure it’s been a tiresome journey, darling. please, do take a seat. i’ll put more wood in the fire. it’ll be nighttime soon.” 
> 
> “do-” yong started from the only chair in the place. “do you know who i am?” 

**KIM YONGSUN**

  
  


everything seemed to revolve around traveling these days. if kim yongsun had wanted to see the world just a few months ago, all she wanted now was to be able to stay in once place for more than a day. riding had never been her favorite thing to do and now she’d found a new reason as to why. her butt hurt, her thighs, her shins, her back. every single part of her body was in some sort of pain, even places she didn’t even know excited. 

if she were still a princess, the possibility of just lying in a wooden wagon while gazing up at the clouds would be extremely high. but as a queen now, she was expected to ride ahead, guiding her people, never showing any sign of exhaustion or hesitation. 

the only person who ever saw the toll that the entire situation was taking on the young queen was moonbyul. as always, as ever. during the days the moon commander would ride beside her, at night she would huddle her from the back under the excuse of keeping her warm. nonsense, that’s what the rest must’ve thought, and obviously so. it was summer, the last thing they needed was warmth. 

but yongsun would never push her back. if anything, she’d move impossibly closer to her now secret-wife. byulyi hadn’t taken yong’s ring off since their wedding a few days past. yongsun was still carrying the item byul had given her as a promise as well. the memory of it all would bring a crimson color to yongsun’s cheeks. whenever byulyi saw her all bashful, the idiot just smirked. the queen would make sure to kick her when nobody else was watching. 

namjoon would ride to her right while moonbyul rode to her left, with jungkook behind right next to an overly-excited hoseok who wouldn’t stop going on about how this was his first time traveling the countryside. the reaction to his energy varied between dreamy and nervousness over someone hearing him go on about how beautiful the trees, the road, the sky, and the bug that had stung him on his arm were. 

jin would stay behind byulyi. the lad was the only one not wearing a full armor, stating that it made his skin irritated. when asked by joon whether he preferred flawless skin or an arrow through his chest, his answer hadn’t been too surprising. 

_ if i die, i want to do so looking beautiful.  _

it reminded her a bit of park jimin. whenever she thought of him, she’d worry. the gangwon lord was the only defense standing between the japanese and the capital of the kingdom. he had an army, yes. he had the support of the kims, advisors, people that were probably more loyal to him than they were to her, and still she worried. 

the journey from jeolla to hanseong was a long one, but they still were managing to cover enough land by only sleeping a few hours and riding the rest of the day and night. 

whatever little sleep yong could get was good enough for her. 

the nightmares were still there. they did not come as often as before, and when they did, the comfortness of knowing that moonbyul was right next to her, very much alive and snoring, would give her the peace she needed to fall back into slumber. 

the question of their meaning still invaded her mind though, and during the days those thoughts were the only things that kept her half awake. pondering. thinking. 

“are you alright, your highness?” 

the voice stunned her out of her thoughts. they had managed to ride past iksan that morning. finally, just half a day more and they would be out of jeolla at last. the province was immense. yongsun had never really taken any regard for the southern land more than for what she’d read in books during her geography lessons with namjoon as a fellow classmate. 

now that she’d been tasked with crossing the tropical-esque land, the monarch had learned new things about her kingdom. things that no ancestors of her might have ever known. 

like how the children from jeolla would run towards them in amazement whenever they passed a small village. how thankful the father would be when the soldiers would give away bread and water, and in return the families would gift the highborns with handmade ropes, sandals, and baskets. 

how the weather, once you got used to it, would make sure your body temperature was just about right. how the sun would stop burning and instead turn your skin into a beautiful honey-like color. the way the air still smelt of salt even if they were miles away from the sea. the plentiful, varied type of fruit that would sometimes fall from trees and hit byulyi on the head. how the people were happy in spite of everything. 

war was a terrible thing, but at least it’d allowed her to learn more about her people than anyone ever had. 

now, they were resting right next to the river that streamed from hanseong all the way to the ocean back in jeonju. 

_ follow the river. follow the river and you’ll be home.  _

the person asking the question approached her with a graceful bow, keeping a polite distance between him and his crowned queen. 

“i’m doing splendid, dear jin.” 

“with all due respect, your grace, you don’t seem like it.” 

what had given her away? her stare lost in the long distance? the heavy bags under her eyes? the constant picking at the burnt flesh on her fingers? the clenched jaw?

mayhaps all of those at once. 

“has lady moonbyul been a torment to you lately?” 

she knew he really wanted to say  _ pain in the ass _ , but for such vulgar words to come out of his mouth when addressing his queen the punishment would be life-imprisonment. yong knew what he meant though, and the adorable chuckle she gave out let seokjin realize it. 

“not at all. surprisingly so. it seems like she enjoys being outdoors. it relaxes her. when she’s caged inside a castle like an animal she does become bothersome.” 

“her grace has done quite a research on my lady.” 

the queen shrugged, as if the response was obvious. “she is to be my wife.” 

_ she already is.  _

this appeared to make seokjin relax his shoulders a bit. nobody else would’ve noticed, but she’d gotten to know him just enough during the last few months to be able to tell. the action puzzled her. 

“did you believe i would break by betrothal to lady moonbyul?”

“as queen you would be able to choose who to marry or not to marry at all, your grace. i was afraid that your mind had changed in regards to my lady.” 

_ oh, if you knew.  _

that night the queen made sure to cuddle byulyi closer to her. the warrior played with her hair as they lied looking up at the stars above them. the stars and the moon were a recurring theme in their time together, yongsun became aware of it. they would always follow them, just like yongsun would always follow moonbyul. 

“you’re thinking.” byul whispered in the dark of the night. her face wasn’t distinguishable, but her heartbeat was. hearing it brought reassurance to the queen. 

“you’d be surprised to know that i do happen to do that from time to time.”

“it is surprising. one time i came closer enough to your head but only heard what appeared to be crickets.” 

the jest earned her a pointy finger being jabbed in her ribs. byulyi tried to suppress a squeak to no avail. an annoyed grunt by namjoon swiftly followed. he often did that whenever the pair got too loud. maybe he just did it to let them know he was still present and way too near for them to make out. the idea of joon throwing up was not a good one, so yong had stopped herself from crashing her lips against byulyi’s more than once. 

“what are you thinking about?” the commnader asked when she believed namjoon was asleep.

“the stars.” 

“aye. they’re gassy. just like you.” 

joon decided to move and go sleep somewhere else after byul wouldn’t stop whining about her almost broken fingers. 

that night she did not have bad dreams. neither did she have them the following night. 

a few days after they had crossed the jeolla borders, approaching gongju as quickly as they could, the dreams came back. 

this time byul wasn’t a corpse anymore. yongsun had grown fond of the zombie-like creature that would occasionally sit by her side on her throne of bones, overlooking the ghastly scenery that would spread for miles, overtaking the sea beyond the mountains, tinting it with a maroon color yong identified as blood eventually. 

in these dreams however, she’d turn to find no one by her side anymore. it became repetitive. the body of byulyi with one eye hanging out of its socket and bones poking out of the rotting flesh wouldn’t be anywhere to be found. when she’d once been scared at the prospect of having moonbyul near her, now she was horrified at not having the numb-like creature sitting silently next to her. 

the presence of her real, and very much still alive, wife during the sleepless nights wouldn’t be of any help anymore. not that byulyi knew. no matter how much yong tossed and turned during her nightmares, her secret wife would not even move a muscle. it was amazing, a drained yong thought as she walked this time instead of riding to keep herself awake during the day, how the japanese could surprise them at night time and byulyi would sleep through the whole kidnapping. 

the woods in the chungcheong area were larger, the trees broader, and the road they’d been following until then had disappeared days ago. the pure wilderness consumed their traveling party, scaring the horses, forcing jungkook to take the lead and slice through the endless bushes, branches, and leaves with his sharp sword. they’d all take turns and in return would end the day more exhausted than the previous one. their time in the boiling land of jeolla feeling like a dream compared to the neverending forest. 

hoseok would hunt occasionally. apart from being a healer, it turned out that he was also a great cook. the idea of killing any living animal wasn’t one that he enjoyed, but when his tummy grumbled, the healer gulped his principles down and went after some rabbits. 

they’d all eaten plentiful that evening. better than they had since they left the ahn province. their provisions were running low and byul had ordered to try and save as much as they could. her men had followed, while those carrying the dragon banners had waited for their queen’s approval. 

gongju was finally past them. they did not dare venture into the city. not out of fear of being unwelcomed. the korean kingdom would always be loyal to their monarchs. namjoon just believed it was best if they did not reveal themselves to be in any visible position, such as a large city with short stone walls. byulyi had agreed, and so they kept traveling in hiding. 

_ it’s close. hanseong is so close, i can feel it already.  _

the mere idea of home gave yongsun an extra push of energy she didn’t know she had inside of her. maybe it was because of the food she’d been eating lately, courtesy of the unexpected jung hoseok that moonbyul had decided to bring along with them. yong was so happy that she wanted to kiss both. 

so as hoseok was hunting one evening a little far away from the group, the yelp that left his mouth when yongsun approached him from behind made the hare he was after jump away in fright. 

the boy turned around with a scowl, an expression so strange from his part that nobody believed that his forehead was capable of forming the gesture. when he realized it was yong who had interrupted his work, however, that unique brightful beam of his came back. 

“your grace.” he said. the tone in his voice suggested he was no longer angry at the prospect of their dinner escaping. would it be that the smallfolk believed that they could survive from yongsun’s energy only? that would certainly help if it were proven to be true. 

“jung hoseok.” 

“hobi is just fine, if it pleases your grace.” 

she didn’t really use informal titles for anyone but namjoon and moonbyul, the latter one varying on her mood usually. it would be taken as offense for someone from the court to hear her refer to a simple smallfolk with a term of endearment. except they were not in court and yongsun was not her father, thus she did not care for what the old men from the royal court had to say. 

“hobi.” yong repeated, enjoying how odd yet silly the name felt on her lips. the healer’s smile grew larger at the sound. “could you teach me?” 

the question puzzled the boy. it was then when yongsun realized how little details she’d given after asking. if byul were around instead of taking her turn for trying to create a decent road with an axe, she’d be making fun of her until her sides ached over laughing so much. 

“how to hunt, i mean.” 

“your grace doesn’t have to worry about learning such lowly traits. whatever you wish to have for dinner, i’ll make sure to get.” 

was that truly how her subjects viewed their skills? if all her ancestors had taught them was to use their abilities only to serve, she’d make sure to change that. 

“there is no trait that i consider to be lowly. whatever you do to put bread on the table is worthy of admiration.” 

“why, i thank you, your grace. i wouldn’t want your attire to become stained, however. hunting is a bit messy, i’m afraid.” 

_ he’s scared something will happen to me, just like they all are.  _

truth be told, her pair of brown trousers and velvet jeogori that had a ripped sleeve couldn’t get dirtier, even if she tried. the last time she’d bathed was when they left iksan, after her short conversation with seokjin. she knew she stank, her hair was full of dirt just like her hands, her feet were swollen and her face was red. in a way, she wished moonbyul had kept the death of her father a secret. 

if the people around her didn’t call her queen, nobody would know she was one by her looks. 

frustrated but not wanting to give up, yong made a proposal. “let me follow you, at least. i want to watch how it’s done. i also don’t want to get lost. i’m sure the group is way ahead of us now.” 

what would be worse? accidentally having the queen of korea attacked by a wild boar or losing the queen of korea in the forest never to be found again? yong felt bad about forcing hobi to make a choice. she could see the uncertainty in his eyes. but much like byul, she always got what she wanted. or at least half of it. 

“follow me, your grace.” hoseok finally gave in with a shy bow. she gleefully did so. she noted how he’d mark some of the trees they walked past so they wouldn’t get lost. he did so in a way that the marks could be confused with those of a wild animal and nobody else but him knew what they truly meant. 

the woods were more challenging the deeper they went. a few times hobi had to aid his queen after she’d tripped over some roots. also another time when a threatening looking bird insisted on attempting to sit on her head, what it most likely believed to be a nest, she was sure. 

it was a messy business indeed, but at least she was enjoying being far away from watchful eyes all the time. she could not make a move without having her entire army running to her, as if she were nothing but a fragile porcelain doll. even byulyi did it sometimes. she found that to be cute, if she had to be honest, but it also bothered her that she could not even pee behind a tree without byul and joon keeping watch. 

this was the one and only time off she deserved from being a queen. 

“there.” hobi suddenly whispered, going down as to hide behind a large trunk. yong was confused and took her time before hiding with hoseok. the lad was too busy taking out an arrow. “a musk deer. i just need to take some of these out - oh,  _ dammit _ .” the arrows fell on the ground, some going missing under dried leaves. 

“let me help.” the pair started to look for the lost items. a few were found, not enough for hoseok’s liking but if he was successful with the deer, he wouldn’t have to hunt for days. when he turned back to look for it though, it was gone.

“where did it go?” 

“i’ll go look. stay here.” yong muttered quickly, not waiting for an answer, before heading in the direction she thought the deer had ran off to. 

“your grace. please, wait.” she heard hobi half-scream, half-whisper behind her only for the poor healer to have his arrows sprawled all over the ground again. 

the deer had left some traces behind. yong knew that much. a clear path that extended all the way into the darkest part of the forest. 

it was odd. yongsun knew she ought to be afraid, but the fear never quite settled in. and when she was a light inside a small cabin at the end of the long pathway formed by old pine trees, a strange feeling pulled her in, as if she were being lifted from the soil by some invisible entity surrounding her. 

at first she thought about the ghost of her father. then of her mother. then the comforting feeling became familiar. it became moonbyul. 

a door appeared in front of her eyes. turning back, the pathway she’d come from was long behind. how much time had it taken her to walk through all of that? the sun was going down. she could at least see that from in-between the many trees around the strange cabin. what had happened to the light of day? 

hoseok wouldn’t be near her. the rest would surely be even more far away. without any other choice, she knocked. 

the image of an old lady came to view. her hair was grey, her face wrinkled and tired, but her green eyes looked kind. yong never really thought anybody could be shorter than she was, but the woman barely reached her chest. a thin cane was her only mean of support as her back arched downwards in a way that looked like it would make anyone be in terrible pain. 

but the woman didn’t flinch as she wobbled to one side. “come in, my dear.” 

she did.

byul would kill her for it but the hauling sensation was back. her body wasn’t hers, only her mind. and yet, she did not fret. there was something natural about her surroundings. welcoming, even.

“i’m sure it’s been a tiresome journey, darling. please, do take a seat. i’ll put more wood in the fire. it’ll be nighttime soon.” 

“do-” yong started from the only chair in the place. “do you know who i am?” 

“yes.” the lady affirmed as she took what appeared to be burnt pig meat out of the fire. “oh, pity. i’m afraid this is all i have to offer to you. i must have lost track of time.” 

burnt meat had never tasted so good. the queen felt ashamed. eating away what was most likely the little food an old lady had in the middle of nowhere, but the way her insides sang as all the meat and bread made her day down her stomach made her doubt her guilt. 

“do  _ you  _ know who i am, love?” 

yong could only shake her head in denial, eyes open as a deer’s, mouth-full. 

it was the first time the lady smiled. “and i would not expect you to. i don’t happen to be as popular as you are nowadays, your grace.” 

a glass of milk helped her finally swallow everything. “how are you aware of who i am? news do travel fast but i don’t believe there is anyone next door to tell you about me.” 

“my, of course not. and i must say, i would find it odd to have a neighbour. i enjoy my solitude well enough.” 

a cabin in the woods being inhibited by a lonely old woman that looked like she’d live for centuries was most likely something suspicious. except that yongsun had never believed in magic, fairy tales, or witches. fortune tellers were nothing but frauds. card readers were even worse. the only magic yong had ever experienced in her life was when byulyi had kissed her. 

not that she would say that out loud. 

“you love her.” 

_ wait. _

“how did you-” 

“i know everything, dear. well, not everything quite exactly but just enough about you.” 

weird enough. right. mayhaps it was time to leave. it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to makeup some excuse and jump out of the window to try and go look for-

“no, no, no. on the opposite, i want you to stay. you’re far too precious to be outside in the wild on your own.” 

“please, do stop doing that.” 

“i really wish i could. you never stop thinking about that moon warrior of yours, don’t you? it is quite tiresome.” 

“it has been a great pleasure.” yongsun snapped, finally being able to stand without getting dizzy thanks to the food. for it, she left a few coins of silver on the table for the woman. they wouldn’t be worth much during the war, but it was the only valuable thing she carried. 

as she hurriedly made her way to the door, the woman spoke again. “i do believe you have something far more valuable than this on you, your grace. do tell, wouldn’t you like to know the truth about yours dreams?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh, it's been a long time! actually, it's been like 2 weeks but i really missed writing this so it felt like a lot longer than that. anyway! i'm excited that you all got so excited about wheein finally appearing! i've been waiting to write wheein for a long time and i will finally get to do it (coming soooon). now, i wanted to make this chapter way longer but i figured this was a great way to end it bc i love messes. 
> 
> as always, stay safe <3 and thank you for reading.


	19. boots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “you’re sixteen now. you’re meant to become their leader, just like i did after my father. it would be good for you to start learning how to become one.” 

**JUNG WHEEIN**

  
  


the mountains were cold despite it not being winter just yet. there was no snow, but the slippery fields they walked on made it seem like they were surrounded by stacks of ice. the sky was cloudy, making the surroundings seem a tad gloomy. 

it wasn’t that bad for jung wheein, though. truth be told, she would say that the weather conditions were excellent compared to previous ones her people had had to face in the past. she hadn’t seen a day of summer. not that she could remember. her grandfather had been the leader of their tribe and her mother had followed after his passing. 

the jurchen tribe had grown in numbers while her grandfather had been in charge, however, just like their foes back in china. with the tribe becoming larger, the majority had started to break apart in smaller sub groups and allowed themselves to be influenced by what they deemed to be outsiders, eventually turning their backs on the tribe that saw them grow and become men and women. 

wheein walked ahead of a small group of men she was leading through a swampy meadow. the boar they’d been attempting to hunt had run away after one of her comrades tripped and fell on his face. the poor lad was now on the back of the line with blood still flowing profusely from his nose. the animal was nowhere to be seen, but yet wheein persevered. 

her people hadn’t had anything substantial to eat after a storm that lasted weeks. a few elders had perished and a boy had drowned. it took wheein a few days to stop blaming herself for the fate of her own blood.

_ “you’re sixteen now. you’re meant to become their leader, just like i did after my father. it would be good for you to start learning how to become one.”  _

the last memory of her mother’s voice echoed clearly in her mind. in order to assure the survival of the jurchens, the jung family had split into three groups, each taking a small number of people with them. her mother had kept the children and the women she’d train to fight. her brother the soldiers. wheein had been left with the elders and a few starving, short boys and girls that were around her age when she parted ways with her mother back in china. 

_ she doesn’t fully trust me to lead the strongest yet.  _ she remembered thinking as she gazed up at the starry night after her group of a hundred had drifted to sleep during their third night out in the wilderness. 

and still, wheein’s tribe had become strong and defiant. she’d taught them how to fight, how to fish, how to hunt, and how to skin fur and leather. in exchange, her people had returned the favor with quick learning. some, to her surprised, had turned out to be builders and smiths. not that there was much iron to work with in the middle of nowhere though. when they did need some, they’d usually storm old forts that had been abandoned by previous generations of the moons.

wheein’s left eye twitched a little in disdain. she had wanted nothing but to lead her people to a safe place back then, and the korean lands looked promising enough to start a new life working in agriculture. except they had never been allowed through. 

the now leader of the wild jurchens, like the northerners liked to call them, was well aware of the enmity between the korean people and those of her kind. no matter how many times she explained to the northern leader, the one she assumed was lord moon, how they wanted to cross their border peacefully, it was all in vain.

years had passed ever since. her tribe had not moved. they were all still determined to make it through one way or another, even if that meant storming the moon lands by surprise and taking the palace. 

_ if they want to treat us like savages, we’ll become savages.  _

northerners had been kidnapped in the past in exchange for ransom. the food and wood requested had always been given and the prisoners had been freed. but weapons had always been hard to obtain, and only once were they delivered to them so they could trade a highborn back to the north. 

their smith had managed to split the iron of a few used swords in order to create knives, daggers, and spears like the one wheein was carrying in her right hand. always alert. always on the lookout. 

those whose ransom was never paid had two choices. join the tribe or be put to death. the majority chose the latter, having been indoctrinated to hate on the savages. only a few decided to stay. some willingingly jumped over the stony walls of the northern lands in order to join them too, looking for adventure. they would eventually be disappointed when they realized that wheein’s tribe was only about hunting, training, and planning for battles that might never come. 

thanks to it, the numbers in the group had increased. once with 100, they were now reaching 400 between korean deserters, exiled thieves, widows looking for shelter and the children that were growing more and more each day. 

_ still not enough to take the moon castle,  _ wheein thought grimly. 

the idea of doing more waiting, more stupid hunting, more stupid training, more stupid witnessing people die in no man’s land, for years and years to come was demotivating. if only she were able to reach out to her mother in the changbai mountains, their numbers would increase by the thousands. 

the girl - no. woman, had not heard from her mother in years though. as far as she knew, she could be the last one of her family line. 

the thought worsened her already decaying mood. their food had escaped, she had a young man with a broken nose, and sweat pouring down her brow no matter how much she seemed to be freezing everywhere else. yes, the weather was nice at least. no more rain. a cup of tea would be fantastic, though. 

if only there was someone who could understand the hardships of leading, of being tossed away by those who believed were better than others for a name and a title.

but there was one. or there used to be.

blinking rapidly to get the water out of her eyes, the short, brown-haired woman was able to make out something hidden behind a large rock. lifting a finger up, her companions stopped. 

“what is it?” one of them asked in confusion. the group had been walking for half a day and the only thing they’d seen in their way was a strangely shaped tree. they were near the moon lands, they knew so. but their hunger overpowered their fear of being killed by the army. 

without saying much, wheein approached the strange object as silently as she could. instead of one, it became two. it looked like a pair of boots more upfront. wasted, a little bit dirty and full of water still. the stench became worse as the group approached, and even the poor lad with the broken nose had to cover it up. 

“is it one of ours?” he asked from behind. 

now closer, wheein shook her head, poking at the rotting corpse of a young man with the end of her spear. “a moon soldier.” 

the men chanted a joyful  _ whoop!  _ from behind in celebration. 

_ one less soldier won’t make the moon house fall.  _

“what’s he doing here though?” 

“another deserter, maybe.” came the answer from their leader. 

“that would make five deserters in the last two weeks.” 

“why are so many soldiers running away from korea?” the young woman pondered out-loud. she bent down to remove his boots.

they were too big for her, but they’d do. on her command, two younger boys took off the dead man’s chainmail, sword, and helmet. everything but the chest armor with the wolf sigil on. instead, they kicked it.

“i heard that there’s been an invasion.” another lad explained on her left. he was a bit chubby and was the only one that had a fully grown beard. he was often confused by others as the leader, something wheein really didn’t blame people for. “maybe they’re running away from their duties.” 

“duty of dying. something only the moons would come up to send other men to die for them.” wheein scoffed. turning the man over wasn’t too difficult. he wasn’t heavy, but he was smelly. there were three broken arrows on his back. two that hit him on the right lung, and another in his middle. “and it seems like the moons don’t take deserting their army lightly.” 

“do you think it would be a good idea to attack the north now?” 

after a few seconds of consideration, wheein shook her head. “no. not yet. let their army grow smaller. the north can’t survive without the moon family. once they’re fighting south, we’ll attack.” 

the idea of storming lands full of nothing but old farmers and children while the rest were away fighting didn’t sit well in wheein’s conscience. the jurchens weren’t exactly warriors like the korean northerners, but they did have pride. 

_ it’s the only way though.  _

her inner voice diminished a bit when she heard the men agreeing with the plan. it brought a tiny smile to her lips, knowing that her people trusted her enough with their lives. looking up, only her bearded friend was quiet. 

“what?” she asked, eyebrow raising slightly. 

“wouldn’t it make more sense to join them?” 

the silence that fell after the question was deafening. the sun was starting to set. the boar was long gone. their dinner most likely was going to be only berries and nuts once again. and yet, all of those worries had disappeared in an instant, outrage settling in instead.

trying to maintain her composure, wheein straightened up, barely reaching the man’s chest but still looking imposing. “join the moons?” 

he shrugged as if it were not a big deal. “they’re gone. we attack the palace. we take the palace. they come back and take it back. even if they lose half their army they would still outnumber us.” 

“the northern palace is almost impregnable.” 

“have you seen those adorable, tiny walls they love to call all-mighty? the north hasn’t been taken because everyone is too scared of the moons, not because the lands are impenetrable.”

_ tiny but all-mighty. she loved the concept.  _

“they have towers everywhere. we’ll make arrows rain over them from there.” 

“they will burn them down. us with them.” 

“we’ll fight from the very own palace, then.” 

“they have tunnels and secret passages. they will know how to get inside without us even knowing. especially that daughter of theirs.” 

“how do you know so much about the northerners?” the lad with the broken nose asked. it had stopped bleeding, but now the remaining blood was frozen against his upper lip. a broken nose and half the skin of the lip torn. wheein grimaced at the thought. 

“prisoners do love to talk a lot when they’re being tortured, you know?” he replied followed with a guffaw that made everyone except for wheein shudder in fear.

with a roll of her eyes, wheein started walking back with the dead man’s boots in hand. “it doesn’t matter. we will never form an alliance with those that have oppressed our people for years. there is only one person from the korean lands i would ever fight side by side with, and she’s not in the north.” 

the boots were sent flying to the bearded man that was still laughing. they landed on his chest and almost fell from his grasp. “i think they’re your size.” 

the man bowed in gratitude for the new pair of shoes. his were old already and they didn't provide much warmth. he was almost certain he’d already lost his left toe to the freezing cold. 

“who is this person?” he asked, taking his old shoes off and putting on the new ones, not caring that they had just been covering a corpse’s rotting flesh. “maybe we can find him for you. if you two marry he’d become our next army captain, i’m sure.” 

wheein let out a chuckle from a few meters away. expertly playing with the spear in her hand, she answered, a smile on her lips, this time bigger. “if you can find  _ her  _ for me again, we could fight side by side with her armada. she despises the northern and western realms as much as we do.” 

“a ship captain?” one of the men asked in amazement. 

  
“even better. her father  _ is  _ a captain. she wanted to be a pirate. could you imagine?” wheein laughed, turning her back to her men and walking back home. “pirate ahn hyejin and the savage jung wheein fighting side by side. korean’s disgraced women turned into its saviors!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone! i'm back back back again and still going strong. sorry about the lack of updates. i had a horrible writers-block and well, you know everything that's been happening in the world lately. it wasn't until i started reading this book called reflection: a twisted tale, that all the inspiration came back to me. also with mamamoo's solo activities and hyejin's solo coming soon, i couldn't bear not writing wheein's chapter anymore. 
> 
> anyway, thank you for still reading <3 i hope you are all doing well and are healthy.


	20. magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess who's back. back again.
> 
> stream dynamite by bts.

**MOON BYULYI**

  
  


branches were hitting her on the face as she dashed through the thick forest. trying to cut through the woods was no longer an option for her since it took too much strength and time, things she would need to find yongsun as fast as she could. 

one moment she was behind them, the next she wasn’t. hobi wasn’t around either, so she preferred to assume - for her own sanity - that they were both safe and most likely had gotten distracted by something shiny. but when jin returned with the news of hobi having been found, in a frenzy state to say the least, without yong by his side, her limbs had started to move without control. 

someone was running behind her, she could hear the hurried steps. 

until she couldn’t. 

her body forced her to stop since it was starting to run out of air entirely. her vision flew upwards to witness the sun slowly disappear in the west. with the queen’s sudden disappearance, her mind had completely forgotten about the high possibility of japanese enemies in the area. 

with a deep breath, the brown-haired woman drew her sword from its scabbard and turned around with a swift twirl. 

steel met steel.

the so familiar clashing sound reverberated through the forest. 

when brown eyes met knight armor, the grasp on her sword loosened. 

“be more careful with that thing.” namjoon snarled. despite the heavy anger in his voice - from losing his queen to almost getting his chest pierced - byulyi could still discern the fear in his eyes. 

if yongsun weren’t lost, she’d tease him about it. 

but now, she only grunted to herself, sword vanishing from view. 

the rest caught up with them all of the sudden, clearly out of breath. hobi still looked scared and like he’d been crying before he was found. she couldn’t really blame him. if she’d lost the only heir left in the nation in the middle of a war, she would’ve jumped off a cliff already. 

“where-” 

before jungkook could finish in-between labored breaths, the boy answered. “we were south, near the ancient tree. we were hunting and-” 

“you took the queen on a hunt?” namjoon asked, clearly aggravated as he ran his fingers through his greasy hair. 

“she insisted.” the scared boy tried to defend himself, only to have jin counterattack. 

“if the queen asked you to help her drown, would you?” 

silence.

“that’s a very philosophical question. duty or ethics-” 

“we’re wasting time!” moonbyul yelled. by this point, she didn’t care much about being tracked and found by the invaders. what good would it do to try to defend a nation without a ruler? if anything, they’d be hanged for losing a whole human being in the woods. for losing the _queen_ .  “let’s go.” 

namjoon’s armor clanked and it made it harder for him to run. byul’s did too, and so she started to slowly undo the armored sleeves, the leather chest plate, the spaulders, the iron skirt. it all was being left slowly behind. the more it fell, the faster she ran. 

yongsun would’ve made fun of her. she would’ve most definitely said something improper in a whisper only to turn and act all saint-like in front of the rest. the idea made her eyes fill with tears.

_ is your heart afraid of the nation losing its queen or of you losing the one you love? _

the question died in her mind as soon as it came when hobi pointed at a place. “right there! that’s where she vanished!”

the wind picked up strangely when their eyes met the dark path the boy was signaling to. sunlight was long gone. only a soft orange glow remained up in the sky with the stars threatening to make their appearance anytime soon. 

“good. we have a lead.” she heard joon speak from behind. “we just have to organize ourselves. we’ll go in pairs. we just need to start a fire and -  _ goddammit.  _ moonbyul!” 

it was all white-noise to her. her feet kept going. she’d been running for hours now and somehow, she was still finding energy to do so well within her. now, in only her simply long sleeved grey shirt and matching bajis, the warrior ventured into the unknown.

╔═════☩══♛══☩═════╗

to say it was dark was an understatement. 

three times she had tripped to miserably fall on her elbows, knees, and face. all three times she’d gotten up. the walls to her sides convinced her that she was inside a cave. one that was not there when she first ran into obscurity, granted. but one that she had most likely ran into after her view went dark. 

or so she liked to believe.

the drops of water falling on her head at an excruciating pace reassured the theory. 

something cracked beneath her boots. 

with a moment of hesitation - and a prayer for it not to be bones - a shaky hand reached down to touch. 

it was a branch. 

“gods.” byulyi let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding for so long. 

putting the half-broken branch to good use, byul placed it in front of her as she walked in order to avoid bumping into any more life-scarring objects. her sword would be better, she thought, but she didn’t want to waste good steel on something so stupid. 

besides, how would she explain it to the blacksmith? yes, i got stupidly lost in a dark cave after my group misplaced the queen of korea. 

the stick broke. 

“great.” byulyi huffed, throwing the useless stick to the side. 

it echoed through the cave ten times more than it would have in the woods. just as the sound died out, a light appeared on the far end of the cave. 

brown eyes lit up. “yong?” a hopeful voice called out as she once again began to race towards the exit of the cave. the closer she got, the bigger the light became. 

it was so near. her spirit could feel yong’s energy at the other side. she was right there. 

until she wasn’t anymore. 

the light faded into a tiny insect. 

a firefly flew towards her now, except slowly, not in a hurry like the way byul had approached it. 

byulyi wanted to kill it. she wanted to smash it between her hands and stomp on whatever was left of it. 

instead, she slumped against a moist wall with a defeated sigh. hands covering her distressed features, the warrior couldn’t see the firefly still hovering in front of her. 

in a way, she was thankful she hadn’t killed it. it was the only source of light in the middle of the dark hole she’d ended up in, as small as it was. 

it then began to fly away slowly, as if prompting the moon heir to follow it. 

“this is dumb.” byul mumbled to herself but still got up to her feet. 

_ i must be going mad.  _

the thought reaffirmed itself when the woman didn’t hesitate to walk upfront to where a wall should be to her right, too entranced by the tiny light guiding her. instead of a solid wall, she found a path.

the cave suddenly felt like a maze. it gave her some hope. mazes had exits. caves, most of the time, did not. 

but still, it made her wonder if mayhaps she wasn’t dreaming all of this. 

the question became more relevant when yongsun’s voice resounded in the now stony maze. 

“byul?” 

“yong?” she responded. taking a few more steps forward, soft light suddenly poured over her. 

the firefly disappeared into the same light. when brown eyes darted upwards to inspect, the moon was shining over her, its light coming in from a whole on the ground far above. 

“how did you find me?” 

the voice distracted her from the hopeful escape atop her head. it sounded much like yongsun. too much for it to be just a dream. 

and there she was. at the other end of what seemed to be a large corridor engulfed in darkness, under another tunnel of light, was yongsun. 

throat dry, she spoke the first words that came to mind. the easiest.

“i thought about the dumbest choice you could make.” 

a scoff from her wife. 

“it was hard. you make way too many.”

“byul-ah.” the angry tone of voice at her teasing only confirmed what she already knew. the one standing just a few feet away from her was indeed her yongsun. the annoyance quickly faded away, giving into relief. “come here.” 

the warrior didn’t need to be told twice. with a smile that hadn’t been drawn on her lips since they got secretly married, the warrior attempted to approach the queen, only to have her evaporate into thin air as soon as she stepped into the dark, short pathway separating them. 

“yong?” a shaky voice called out. “yongsun?” a little bit higher this time, hand flying to the hilt of her sword. 

it wasn’t until she retreated back to stand under the moonlight that her wife reappeared once again, eye wide open and a tightened jaw, as if she were in pain. 

“don’t go into the dark.” the blonde was able to gasp out after regaining her posture. 

“how-” 

“just don’t.” it was a plea, something that was unusual to come from yongsun. 

it frightened the warrior a bit. 

“it hurts when you go into the dark.” 

it sounded stupid. but at the same time, the whole situation they were currently in was utterly stupid. if their family knew they’d surely discipline them for weeks. a queen and the heir to the powerful north trapped in a cave while the country was being invaded. 

for the second time that night, byulyi sat on the ground with a frustrated grunt. the only pair of clean bajis were most likely already ruined beyond repair by that point, the boots soaked on the insides too, so she was past the point of caring. 

she saw yong crouch to be at her same level from the corner of her eyes as she childishly threw some tiny rocks around in anger. the fact that her wife was so close and yet so far away of her touch only made her irritation grow. 

“stupid cave.” 

yongsun was sitting across her by that point, breaking some tiny branches lying around into pieces to show her dissatisfaction as well. they both looked like children. if they weren’t in the middle of a conflict, it’d be borderline hilarious. 

“the queens of korea defeated by a pile of rocks.” the blonde mumbled. 

“i’m not a queen.” another rock joined a pile that was starting to form not too far away from byulyi. 

“you will be.” 

“i’m already scared, yong. you don’t have to add more terror into it.” 

the combination of a pout and a furrowed brow made yongsun look like the most adorable person she’d ever seen in her life, even if she was far away from her. the view brought her anger down a bit, a small smile appearing on her lips. 

“i thought you wanted to become queen.” 

“my dad wanted me to. jin wanted me to. i was just in for the fun of trying to charm you.” her wife rolled her eyes at that. “i didn’t think it would actually work.” 

the confession took yongsun by surprise. 

“you certainly came off as being ready to claim me as some sort of prize.” 

the brown-haired woman shrugged, having the decency to appear a bit embarrassed by her initial behavior. “i might look confident. sometimes i’m really not.” 

the silence that fell around them was a tad uncomfortable for the first time since they met each other. it made byulyi feel uneasy, letting her walls down like this, even if it was with yongsun. she had never really disclosed how she felt inside to anyone, not even to jin. 

she knew deep in her heart that yong would not tease her about it, or laugh, or mock her, or love her any less. so why exactly she was so nervous about finally allowing one brick from her wall to come undone in front of her wife, she didn’t know. 

“byul.” 

“hm?” yongsun’s voice distracted her from her thoughts after the gods know how long. for the first time, she was thankful for the darkness hiding her crimson cheeks.

“get us out of here so i can kiss your stupid face.” 

╔═════☩══♛══☩═════╗

climbing the cave with the small rocks coming out of it was easier said than done. bruises were already forming on byulyi’s arms and lower back from the times she’d fallen flat on her back. the scratches on her hands and elbows were already starting to bleed, from the times she’d had to quickly roll herself under the moonlight after falling into darkness for the fifth time. 

the only explanation yong had given her for the whole situation had been  _ magic.  _

_ fine. if she doesn’t want to tell me she was too dumb to follow a rabbit and get lost in the woods, that’s on her.  _

after tearing the sleeves of her ruined shirt in order to wrap the cloth around her hands, byul was able to get a stronger hold on the pointy rocks on the walls. 

yongsun had wanted to try as well, only to be stopped by moonbyul trying to regain some strength after yet another fall. 

“it won’t do any good if both of us end up with our skulls torn open.” 

“as if you have a brain to worry about.” the queen had mumbled under her breath but stayed put. 

the hole on top of her finally seemed to be getting closer and cloer. with a hopeful jump, byulyi’s hands took hold of a thick root growing into the dirt. from a big tree, she certainly hoped. a fall from the altitude she was currently in would mean a broken bone or two. 

yongsun kicking her for almost dying wouldn’t help. 

her mind silently thanked her father for all of those years of rough training. back during her childhood they had been nightmarish, the only thing in her mind being trying to run off from the castle so she could join the village kids and play in the river as much as she wanted. 

not that she had ever succeeded. 

now, she was glad those plans never worked as she successfully emerged from down below. the woman took a moment to regain her breath, wishing she hadn’t left most of her equipment behind. 

“byul?” yongsun’s voice reached her from inside the cave.

“i might leave you there, yong. just for a few days, maybe. if joon wants to know where you are, he will have to do a silly dance for us.” 

“byul!” 

the fact that her body was screaming her to stop moving wasn’t enough for her laughter to torture her ribs even further. “i’m coming. i’m coming.” 

with the help of a firm enough vine tied to a nearby liana, moonbyul helped the queen climb to the top, albeit a little bit slower than she did. 

“you ought to train more, yongsun.” 

“i’m going to push you down again, i swear.” she heaved in exhaustion, finally extending a hand for byulyi to take and pull her completely out of the hellish hole. 

panting, the pair laid on the ground for what felt like hours. their clothes were torn, hair full of sticks and dirt, shoes soaked through, muscles aching, and hands swelling. 

still, yong chuckled. 

which caused moonbyul to start laughing in tandem.

“the queens of korea.” byulyi repeated after they had both calmed down, shifting as much as her sore body allowed her to so she could face the blonde. 

“we did get out, didn’t we?” she scoffed as she ran a hand over her face only to have it get covered in mud. 

the warrior giggled. “ we did.” 

after a pause, byul drew herself closer after seeing yong’s eyes falling shut. with whatever little strength they both still had in them, the pair dragged themselves back until they hit the trunk of the big tree that had saved them, leaning against it as comfortably as the situation allowed. 

with yongsun drifting into slumber with her head leaning on her shoulder, byulyi dared to ask. 

“yong, what did really happen down there?” 

“i told you.” the queen yawned, pulling herself as close to moonbyul as she possibly could. 

“magic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the fact that this fic is 20 chapters long and we're barely reaching the middle of the story is a bit embarrassing. anyway, this chapter is all about maGIC and explaining something about yong's dreams, like we saw in the previous yong chapter. just in a metaphorical way. which i'm not good at but i hope you got it.
> 
> i will try to go back into updating this more often now that my other two fics have been finished :)
> 
> anyhooowww, i hoped you enjoyed this. if you want to, you can follow me on tumblr: dearbyulyi. also i have a kofi now on: johannmoon.


	21. letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “they die for promised glory that will never come. not for them. only for the ones sitting on their pretty thrones, barking order for the young ones to meet their demise in their names. you’ll die for yourself only, not for anybody else.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm back, back, back again. enjoy 💜

**JUNG WHEEIN**

  
  


anyone would think that after being born and raised in the frozen mountains, one would be immune to the freezing breeze and the frostbite that came with it. not so different as to how some southerners are used to the sun, or how the easterners are used to the constant salty aroma in the air.

_ idiots,  _ wheein thinks miserably as she engulfs herself in yet another blanket made out of bear fur, a gift from her friends. how the other three were not crushing her tiny form to death yet, she did not know. all she perceived was the frost stubbornly sticking to her eyelashes, the numbness invading her fingers, the  _ migraine  _ that was starting after that horribly made whiskey she tried during dinner. 

it did not matter though. nothing mattered as said numb digits rummaged through the many loose papers on her desk. her pavilion was spacious, bigger than the usual tents from her comrades, so she could not entirely complain about her dire situation. 

a desk, a chair, a bed, even a small fire that she prayed would not burn everything down. her special handmade armor hung near her bed, stained from yet another day of hunting, not only for animals but for moon deserters. 

three they had caught just the past week. only one had spoken and accepted to join them; a fate worse than death that, ironically enough, kept him alive. no news had arrived with the boy, only confirmation of the invasion on korean land. 

_ “they’re still disembarking in the east. they’re far away still, but lord moon wanted us to move south as quickly as possible. i - i don’t want to die, m’lady.”  _

if anything he was the smartest out of the whole lot, in wheein’s opinion. the only one following the natural instincts of survival that were taught to her from a young age instead of pursuing a death that would mean nothing but numbers to his monarchs. 

_ “they die for promised glory that will never come. not for them. only for the ones sitting on their pretty thrones, barking order for the young ones to meet their demise in their names. you’ll die for yourself only, not for anybody else.”  _

wheein had told the scared boy still tied up to a pole near camp, strange green eyes desperately looking for something in her eyes that would not come. forgiveness was not wheein’s to give, nor was hope or judgement. only a hand to help him stand up after his ropes had been cut. 

_ “welcome.”  _

her tribe was growing in numbers but not in quality of life. they were still out in the middle of nowhere, caves and poorly made tents their only shelter from cruel nature. all her mother had wanted was a home from her people, a wish that jung wheein had grown to yearn for as well. 

with a heavy sigh, the young woman sealed an envelope close. the hot wax cooled fairly quickly to reveal the sigil of a wildcat on the back. 

all of the houses had sigils, she was well aware of it, as had been her parents. they never took one as jurchens chiefs though. maybe that was one of the reasons why they never managed to march on the north, because they never thought like them.

wheein had adopted the custom. it’d been a fun craft to entertain her mind for a while during a rough blizzard that almost swept their camp out of their roots. she’d grown to love it now, and the few seamstresses around were making sure to embroider every flag with a white wildcat surrounded by snowy mountains, the sun rising behind them. 

ahn hyejin had seemed to like it, or so she’d said in her last letter a few months ago, before the invasion started. 

she missed her, gods be damned. there, she said it. wheein missed ahn hyejin’s stupid letters, both teasing her mercilessly and boosting her confidence to unprecedented levels. 

“stupid pirate.” wheein grumbled under the many layers of fur that covered everything except her eyes. one day she’d come to visit, she promised so in one letter. they would then travel around the world in her one big ship, both their banners up in the tallest mast. 

gods, how silly they were when they were younger. 

silly girls and their silly dreams. 

their parents had bonded, both secretly rebellious from the rest of the kingdom, realms that never cared for their homes. the jurchens, her people, rejected by the so-proclaimed guardians of the northern lands. jeolla, ignored by the west and supposed rulers of them all, the dragons. 

the jurchens, true northerners. jeollans, true southerners. both so different but so alike. 

two times hyejin and her father had visited. 

the first time it had not gone well, both not more than children that had battled each other to the ground, hyejin’s governess knocked out next to them. 

wheein lost a tooth that day, and hyejin some hair. the pair had still happily devoured dinner together in her father’s large tent, laughing and throwing peas at each other. 

the second time had gone better, both older and more mature. 

they had still wrestled each other to the ground when hyejin stole a freshly cooked fish from her plate in front of her very own eyes. only this time, after years of intensive training, wheein had won. pining hyejin to the ground while boastfully eating her meal on top of the youngest was one of her fondest memories of the past. 

the first one being the peck hyejin had given her on the lips before leaving. to this day, wheein wasn’t sure if it’d been nothing but teasing or if a secret motive was hidden behind the act. it did not take away the fact that the memory still made her stomach feel funny, heat rising to her cheeks, no longer cold. 

“stupid. fucking.  _ pirate.”  _ wheein said once again, the letter addressed to said woman thrown aside unceremoniously for a guard to come pick up in the morning. 

it was the third one this month that she’d sent. was it that the ravens were being shot down from the sky by the invaders? did they get lost? had her messages been found and confiscated? 

or was hyejin simply ignoring her? gods, she’d kill her. 

“m’lady.” the former moon soldier called from outside. 

the title made her angrier. “don’t call me that.” she grumbled. “what?” 

“a letter, m’la- mam.” 

well, that one was worse. she was not _that_ old. “just give it to me. why are you standing out there in the middle of this storm for?” 

still shaky, the poor boy all but ran to her desk, threw the letter at her in fear, and disappeared back outside. he might have been a part of the army, but the moons surely did not teach the boy that many manners. 

with her eyes following the frightened lad, the jurchen leader had failed to notice it was from hyejin. once she did, the envelope was promptly torn open, a miracle that the letter had not been ripped apart with it. 

she was pathetic.

_ dear wheein-ah.  _

_ i’m sorry, i’ll have to keep this short in case it gets intercepted by anyone, either the invaders or the locals.  _

_ thank you for your three past letters, i can see that you’re either fond of me or deeply worried. maybe both.  _

dick. 

_ to discuss an alliance through paper only is dangerous, but i’d say that our reckless selves pay no mind to danger. good, let them see what’s coming to them.  _

yes, that’s hyejin alright. 

_ i, of course, accept your proposal to ally both our clans. however, as you might have heard, the japanese have invaded our kingdom. my land is secure enough, so don’t fret for my safety. i am, though, unable to travel north to go see you and seal our agreed alliance, both on paper and by marriage.  _

ugh. 

_ i hope you understand. hopefully one day both of our armies will be able to be joined, and we’ll meet in person once again.  _

_ always yours,  _

_ ahn hyejin.  _

an alliance with jeolla was a given fact since their parents crossed paths for the very first time. certainly hyejin would accept, that was not what wheein was after. she wanted them to finally come together again, face to face, after so many years. she wanted their people to get to know each other, for their troops to train together for what was to come. 

her attention was drawn to the map that laid on the desk, beautiful carved pieces on top. 

the north. 

“m’lady?” 

_ sigh. _

“what?” she did not mean to respond with such venom in her voice. that’s not who she was to her people. she was fair, kind, yet strong. 

hyejin’s response had taken her back to reality really fast though. it had brought her down from the cloud she was peacefully sleeping on, crashing back to the snowy-hard ground. the migraine had definitely settled in by now and all her body wanted was sleep. 

“there is someone here to see you.” 

“it’s late. i’ll entertain this meeting tomorrow.” 

“m’lady, he states that he’s been sent by ahn hyejin.” 

_ hyejin?  _

her response came quick. “let him in. let him in.” 

soon enough there was a tall man dressed up in those distinct yellow and black colors of the ahn house. those colors that hyejin had so often worn for dinner or to simply stroll down the river shore. 

the lion sigil was glued to his chest and pauldrons. two more adorned the helmet that rested against his hip, next to a scabbard that hid a longsword with a golden lion as pommel and a leathered grip. surely hyejin’s supervised work. 

the man, way taller than she was, was comically covered by snow. the long hair covering his eyes looked whiter than the discarded papers on the table. his lips seemed to quiver as his body trembled in coldness. his black gloves did little to protect his hands as well, she assumed, judging by the way his hands moved clumsily. 

she gestured for him to move closer to the fire, an invitation, which he did not do without curtsying the jurchen leader first. sometimes she wondered if she’d even get used to that. 

“what’s your name?” wheein asked once the soldier looked like he had stopped shaking. 

“kim taehyung, my lady.” 

“did hyejin really send you?” 

“my apologies, my lady. but who else would prefer to send me in these simple clothes to the freezing cold just because they’re the best-looking ones in my wardrobe?” 

yes. that sounds quite alright. 

“why are you here? does this have anything to do with our alliance?” 

“it does.” tae replied, finally facing away from the warm fire. 

she must look ridiculous under so much fur. tiny, even. but she did not feel like moving out of her cocoon nor was she dressed appropriately. hyejin’s trusted friend did not seem to mind, though. if anything, he looked way too accustomed to their informal meeting. 

“are you here to sign an agreement on her behalf? wait. you are not here to marry me, are you?” hyejin did mention marriage in her letter. she just forgot to specify who to. 

taehyung blushed like a young maiden would have, something he tried to hide with an awkward chuckle. “no, my lady. i’m afraid not.” 

wheein was glad, partly, that her mother was not around or else she would’ve made sure to arrange an engagement right away. young taehyung was good-looking though, and it took wheein all of her willpower not to look as bashful as she felt inside. 

“what is it then?”

“lady hyejin lent me one of her boats to arrive as fast as possible. faster than any other letter would have, anyway.” with wheein’s permission, tae took a seat on her bed. “as you may already know, the kingdom has been invaded by japanese forces after our previous king disagreed to let them through our country so they could overthrow the emperor. he also failed to prepare for the imminent threat this act would bring.” 

_ previous king?  _

“ahn hyejin has not concurred to join the other realms to defend the country, but she’s thinking about it. only, and only if, you join her.” 

“join them?” the tribe leader asked in disbelief, finally moving under the heavy wool. “who is  _ them,  _ exactly?” 

“house kim, of course. house park. all of their banners. and- well. with all due respect, house moon.” 

“has hyejin lost her dumb mind?” she all but screamed as she stood up, the force flinging most papers and furs to the carpeted floor. 

decency be damned, she would stand in front of this soldier in her nightie and yarn socks for all she cared. none of it was as mad as what hyejin was asking from her. 

“the moon house, self-proclaimed owners of the north, have terrorized and chased my people for as long as we can remember. they have not taken us in, no matter how starved or bloodied we have been in the past. and now that they’re the ones suffering they have the nerve to ask for our help?” 

“hyejin did mention this response would be a possibility, my lady.” 

“of course it fucking would be. it doesn’t take a maester to predict that. we’ve been at  _ war  _ for centuries.” 

“i understand, my lady. but the situation down south is dire. people are being murdered, not only moons. hyejin thinks-” 

“hyejin doesn’t think, that’s her problem. she only opens her mouth to try and annoy me. this time she’s crossed the line. you can go back and tell her to stick her stupid proposal up-” 

“lord ahn is dead, my lady. hyejin is the lady of jeolla now.” 

her lips sealed shut in embarrassment, thankful that the fire reflected beautifully on her skin to mask the redness in her ears. “i’m sorry.” how stupid she must look now. standing in the middle of her pavilion, in nothing but nightwear, yelling like a crazy woman. “i was not aware. is she alright?” 

“she’s as good as one can be after losing a parent.” taehyung said, voice hoarse in grief. he then stood up, moving closer to a still coy wheein. 

her headache got worse by the effort of looking up at tae. the snow had melted by now, leaving his hair and eyebrows damp, cheeks and nose a crimson color. 

“my lady, i know you are not in the best position right now and i know this is not your land to defend, but it could be. the king is dead.” 

gods be good, how many had died so far? had it been worth it, even? 

“his daughter, kim yongsun, has been proclaimed our queen. she’s good to us, better than her father was. she'll be good to you. she is also meant to marry a general. lady moon byulyi.” 

there was not much left in wheein to react, only a tired exhale of breath. “i will never serve a moon.” 

“lady byulyi is different as well, my lady.” 

“she isn’t. she’s a moon. she’ll never be.” moving to sit back on the chair again wheein stared at the fire, deep in thought. 

the flames dance beautifully in front of her eyes. a dance that she was well familiar with, one that she shared with hyejin back in the woods. there was no music, only silence. they had still danced for hours until the sun crept from in between the mountains. hyejin’s father had come to fetch them then, announcing that breakfast was ready, smile on his face.

_ it’s not for the kingdom. it’s for her father.  _

_ and she wants me by her side.  _

not looking away from the fire, wheein spoke. 

“tell hyejin that i’ll join her under one condition.” her brown eyes moved then, gleaming with purpose. “she will help me storm and take the moon castle.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear i missed this story so much. i just had to reread most of it because it's been so long. anyhow, i love wheein's character. kudos to the song howl by florence & the machine for inspiring me to finally go back to writing this. an anon on tumblr said this reminded them of game of thrones and that's the biggest compliment ever, so thank you 💜
> 
> i'll really try to update this more often, i really want to finish it by at least chapters 30-35. thank you for reading as always and i hope you liked it 💜

**Author's Note:**

> i just love these type of historical aus, i'm sorry. by the way, this one is based on real life events. the japanese invasion of korea between 1952 and 1958. many events that will be depicted in this story, such as battles and some characters, are real too.


End file.
